The challenge
In April 2023, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) approached its longstanding business travel and events partner, CWT, for support. CONI was preparing to host the summer edition of the Trofeo CONI (CONI Trophy), Italy’s biggest under-14 sports event, from 21-24 September 2023 on the Ionian Coast of Basilicata.
We were tasked with managing travel for more than 4,500 delegates – some 4,000 young athletes, as well as around 500 other participants including support staff, doctors, journalists, and VIPs. Bringing thousands of people together for an event is always an intricate task with many moving parts. Here, we had the added complexity of catering to so many different types of attendees, each with specific needs and travel requirements.
The solution
We created a cross-functional team within CWT, comprised of experts from our transient travel and meetings & events (M&E) divisions, working in unison to deliver a seamless travel experience for all the attendees. This included:
- Negotiating with suppliers like airlines, hotels, and ground transportation providers – not only to secure favorable pricing, but also additional amenities and services as private cars, airport assistance, extra meals requested onsite, and the gala dinner for VIP guests.
- Booking flights on commercial and chartered aircraft for individuals as well as for groups traveling together. We also had to manage access to VIP terminals for certain delegates and provide airport assistance.
- Luggage management to transport sports equipment such as archery bows, bicycles, and paddles, on both chartered aircraft and cargo flights.
- Complex payment requirements, including deposit payment schedules, that were managed seamlessly through careful coordination between the client and suppliers.
- 24/7 traveler assistance service, as well as on-site support to solve last minutes requests.
Results
- Our teams were able to create an exceptional experience for all the participants by going above and beyond to manage last-minute changes. For example, on days when the competitions went past the scheduled completion times, our on-site team members were able to have certain restaurants extend their opening hours to ensure the athletes could have their meals.
- By leveraging our strong relationships with our hotel partners, we were able to secure special rates for the client—an additional 5% of savings on CONI’s corporate negotiated rates—even when we received urgent requests to book additional hotel rooms while onsite at the event.
- After the event had concluded, we received extremely positive feedback in our customer satisfaction survey. We also received several messages of gratitude directly from the attendees, especially those whom we supported with their end-to-end travel requirements.
“We have been receiving numerous expressions of thanks through communications, messages, and phone calls following the conclusion of the CONI Trophy. I would like to extend my appreciation to the staff that demonstrated unwavering commitment, dedication, competence, and patience in managing the numerous variables of such a complex event. I firmly believe that the success of any organization hinges on a collective effort, and you all have played an exceptional part in it.”
Director of the CONI Territory office