December belongs to Libra
We decided to wear our best fake beard and interview two of the key figures in Club del Sole, especially in the format Workin’Glamp, to see how 2023 went.
December is a frenetic month. Setting aside the adventures of buying Christmas gifts on time, the last weeks of the year act as a balance: on one hand, they display the good intentions and goals with which we started January, and on the other hand, they show what we have actually achieved since then. For many companies, the pre-Christmas period takes the form of a judgmental Santa Claus, who, instead of delivering gifts by checking names off the list, presents the annual balance sheet and revenue index.
So, we decided to wear our best fake beard and interview two of the key figures in Club del Sole, especially in the format Workin’Glamp, to see how 2023 went: Aizhana Zhantuarov, CCO and Commercial Director, Revenue and Distribution of Club del Sole, and Federica Di Domenicantonio, Sales Manager of the Group Travel & MICE department at Club del Sole.
Narrator(N): Good morning to both of you! Let's start right away, without hesitation. Aizhana, what assessment can you give for this just-concluded year?
Aizhana Zhantuarov (AZ): The year is ending definitely well. In addition to the opening of the Rimini Family Village to the business market, meeting the high requirements to offer the Workin’Glamp format, we completed the acquisition of the Tenuta Primero village in Grado (GO), in Friuli Venezia-Giulia.
Tenuta Primero extends within a lagoon landscape, giving the illusion of constantly being on the verge of immersing in the Adriatic. To this is added a professional 18-hole golf course, where you can organize new moments of aggregation and team bonding of the highest level.
N: And you, Federica, what can you tell us about the participation of groups and needs related to the MICE world?
Federica Di Domenicantonio (FDD): This year, we had a significant demand for both sports-oriented groups and events related to MICE of both large and small scale. Thanks to the diversity of both locations and services and the surrounding areas, each Club del Sole village is unique and can offer tailor-made services for all types of events.
N: What aspect of Workin’Glamp, in your opinion, has prompted so many groups and companies to choose it as a solution?
AZ: I would say, first of all, the contact with nature: Workin’Glamp is a concept that puts nature in the spotlight. From the organization of activities to accommodations, everything is perfectly integrated into the territory, respecting sustainability not only environmentally but also socially and culturally. Then, Workin’Glamp doesn't come alone; it is the result of a partnership between Club del Sole and DUAL, a communication and event organization agency that has developed an entire division dedicated to emotional intelligence training, to build healthy work environments and better leaders. This collaboration allows us to offer unique and highly valuable training content, customizable based on corporate goals and the people involved.
FDD: I agree. What makes the Workin’Glamp format stand out is, first of all, the contact with nature, a value that has been rediscovered after Covid and has significantly changed the dynamics in choosing the location for the event. Secondly, the fact that our villages can combine areas dedicated to traditional MICE with spaces and services dedicated to vacation. All of this can create a unique atmosphere of conviviality, further enhanced by the various accommodation units.
N: Federica, in your opinion, what is the greatest challenge in promoting Club del Sole and Workin’Glamp for events, training, or trips for a large number of people? Were there any particular difficulties this year?
FDD: Paradoxically, events with large numbers of people do not intimidate us; we are used to managing them throughout the season, and the basic framework in organizing the machinery that drives the event remains the same. However, the greatest difficulty is undoubtedly explaining the new format to a new client and encouraging them to envision their event through our eyes.
N: Innovations are always difficult to explain; they often end up taking the form of a fairy tale rather than reality. Aizhana, in terms of collaborations, connections that help better convey the wonder of Workin’Glamp, were there any new ones this year?
AZ: From the perspective of collaborations, we can boast the one with MPI Events, an association that - among other things - deals with exporting events, creating connections, and bringing together different realities to promote innovation and new ways of relating to events. We are very proud of that.
N: Last question for both of you. What are your expectations and goals for 2024?
AZ: To further expand the Workin’Glamp offering. I would like to bring more formats, more training, more content because I desire a complete change in the conception of corporate events and workspaces. I want to convey the culture that work doesn't have to be just fast-paced time but can be a quality time, even personally enriching, where we can connect with others and nature. We need to learn to reclaim the time we have, even while working.
FDD: Club del Sole is a reality where you can enter and grow so much and quickly; working in the company for a long time, I have realized how fast, educational, but also satisfying the growth process in this company is. So, for 2024, I have a very personal goal, which is to learn new things, get to know more realities, make new contacts, and try to follow everything as best as possible, always deriving positive growth from it.
Thanks so much to both of you for lending yourself to this Christmas interview.
We take this opportunity to wish happy holidays to everyone working within Club del Sole and Workin’Glamp and, of course, to all the people who have chosen or will choose us as their next destination for their holidays, for the next unconventional corporate meeting, or to organize a party or team building completely outside the usual schemes and in contact with the most genuine part of our wonderful territory.
Happy holidays!