Some events look straightforward on paper and turn out to be anything but. This conference had three prime ministers delivering opening remarks, international speakers joining online, a non-standard venue with no built-in infrastructure, and more than 100 participants from the tourism, hospitality and government sectors.
MICE.BA handled everything from concept to final report.
Event Details
Client: Herzegovina Tourism Cluster
Event type: Hybrid conference
Topic: Education and workforce retention in tourism and hospitality
Venue: Visitor Centre at Buna, Mostar
Participants: Over 100
Participant profile: Tourism and hospitality sector representatives, educational institutions and government bodies
Three Prime Ministers on One Stage
The conference opened with addresses from the prime ministers of three cantons: Nevenko Herceg (Herzegovina-Neretva Canton), Predrag Čović (West Herzegovina Canton) and Ivan Vukadin (Herzeg-Bosnia Canton).
Coordinating three separate government protocols, aligning schedules and managing communication with three prime ministerial offices requires experience with the public sector and its specific requirements. MICE.BA managed this process from the first contact through to the day of the event.
For the Herzegovina Tourism Cluster, having three prime ministers on the same stage was a statement about the standing of the conference. For MICE.BA, it was confirmation that we can manage events at this level.
Hybrid Format with International Speakers
The conference was hybrid. International speakers from Croatia participated online alongside the in-person programme. MICE.BA implemented and coordinated the full technical infrastructure for online participation.
Hybrid delivery carries a particular kind of pressure. Technical problems are not an option when heads of government are sitting in the audience. The setup worked without disruption throughout the programme.
A Venue Built from Scratch
The Visitor Centre at Buna is a heritage location on the river. It is not a congress centre with ready-made infrastructure. Organising a conference of this scale and protocol level at a non-standard venue requires a different kind of preparation.
MICE.BA sourced and installed the stage, technical equipment, sound system, LED screen and all supporting elements. Everything was built from scratch on the day.
For international agencies looking for a partner who can work outside standard congress venues, this is relevant. Some of the most memorable events take place in locations that require the PCO to bring everything with them.
Full PCO Service Delivered
MICE.BA took over the complete organisation from the first planning meeting to the post-event report. Here is what that covered:
- Programme development: We designed the conference programme and proposed and engaged all speakers;
- Participant management: We prepared participant lists and managed all invitations and communication;
- Venue and logistics: We booked the location, organised catering, set up the stage, LED screen and all technical equipment, and managed the full day-of programme flow;
- Hybrid technical setup: We implemented the technology for online speaker participation and managed the connection throughout the event;
- Accommodation for speakers: We arranged accommodation for all speakers travelling from outside Mostar;
- Photography: We engaged a professional photographer for the full event;
- Gifts for speakers and participants: We sourced and prepared gifts for speakers and key participants;
- On-site coordination: We coordinated the full programme on the day, managed speakers and participants and handled the entertainment segment;
- Post-event follow-up: We conducted a structured follow-up with participants and speakers, ran the event evaluation and prepared the final report.
What This Project Demonstrates
This conference is one of the more complex events in the MICE.BA portfolio. It combined government protocol, hybrid delivery, a non-standard venue and a full-day programme for over 100 participants. All of it was managed by one team with one point of contact.
For international agencies looking for a conference organisation partner in Bosnia and Herzegovina who can handle complexity without it becoming the client’s problem, this is what MICE.BA brings.
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Author: Josipa Terzić – Rezić, CIS and CCMEP Certified Professional Event Organiser
CIS – Certified Incentive Specialist (certified by SITE – Society for Incentive Travel Excellence)
CMPA – Certified Congress, Meeting, and Event Professional (certified by the HCCP – Croatian Association of Congress Professionals)
