We all dream of that day, when we’re on the other side, where everything is normalized, and we can again go to work and meet colleagues. As a business manager, it will feel appropriate to gather all employees for a kick-off, for professional and social replenishment and a make known that you are now up and running again. On the other hand, it can take a long time before national borders are reopened and travel is back. It then becomes natural to look at our own incredibly beautiful country for suitable destinations for a corporate gathering. Here we present five of our favorite travel destinations for company trips in Norway:
If you want unforgettable nature experiences, Lofoten is the place. "This place is stunningly beautiful" - Lonely Planet. Lofoten has majestic mountains, deep fjords, screaming seabird colonies and long, white beaches where only the bravest swim. From May to mid-July you can experience the midnight sun, while the northern lights often flicker across the night sky between September and April. In the archipelago's varied landscape, you can hike, bike, fish, and enjoy rafting or scuba diving. The mountain peaks tempt both off-piste skiers and world-class climbers. Lofoten is also one of Norway's icons, and the northernmost surf spots in the world. Winter fishing has been, and is, a mainstay of the region. Here you can experience first-hand, the excitement on board a fishing boat. Lofoten is also known for its many fishing villages, where you can rent a fisherman's cabin and enjoy the beautiful nature from the quays. For larger groups and conferences, we recommend Thon Hotel Lofoten in Svolvær.
The Svalbard archipelago is located midway between Tromsø and the North Pole and is the northernmost place in Europe you can travel to by economy flight. This will be the adventure of a lifetime in the wild. More and more companies want to take their employees on something extreme, eventful and unexpected. Svalbard is an attractive destination for training and conferences but has also had an increase in other types of company travel such as team building and awards trips. Here you can, among other things, walk on glaciers, ride a snowmobile, dog sled and RIB, as well as experience Russian ghost towns and Norwegian mining history. Read more about experiences on Svalbard and see an interview with Ketil about company trips to Svalbard here.
*A year-round experience arena.* Loen is a settlement in the heart of Nordfjord, in the Stryn municipality. The largest companies are Nordfjord Kjøtt and Hotel Alexandra, but it is here we also find Loen Active, an activity company that can help us with thrilling experiences for your company. Their flagship is called Via Ferrata Loen, which is a climbing course in spectacular western nature. The course contains, among other things, the 120-meter-long Gjølmunnebrua bridge, which is the longest "via ferrata" bridge in Europe. The trip ends on the mountain Hoven (1011 masl), with glorious views of Lodalen, Oldedalen, Loen, Skåla as well as the mountains facing Jostedalsbreen. At the top we can visit Hoven Restaurant and then return down the mountain on the Loen Skylift. In Loen we can also offer several activities such as cycling, kayaking in Lovatnet and mountain hiking to e.g. Kjenndalsbreen or Briksdalsbreen. How about a custom “71 Degrees North” teambuilding experience for the company, with former participant Fredrik Luytkis as guide?
Fotokred: Janne Alsaker (1), Marius Beck Dahle (2) og Falkeblikk (3)
Hemsedal is located 625 meters above sea level, among mountain peaks with nature that is as beautiful in summer as in winter. At Scandinavia's most vibrant ski resort Hemsedal, ESS Group has recently built a destination within the destination. This is not only a hotel that is perfect for company gatherings, it is a place where the experiences are endless, and we are already in love! Fýri Resort is simply delicious. Here you can relax in the outdoor pool, enjoy delicious dinners in the restaurants, go skiing, take a bike ride or just be present amongst the Norwegian mountains. August 2020 Fýri opened a 1000 sqm spa club with focus on good food and relaxing music. It is in a delicate setting with a pool and sunbeds, restaurants, shuffleboard, billiards, and bar. Fýri has 144 hotel rooms and meeting rooms for up to 460 people.
Have lunch on the slopes at the beautiful Skigaarden before the trip continues to Stavkroa, the country's most famous après ski. Here there is dancing on the table and good vibes every weekend during the ski season with Thomas Giebelhausen (also known as "DJ Dan") behind the turntables.
We easily reach Hemsedal in just over three hours by bus from Oslo.
Norway's largest ski resort, Trysil, is only two and a half hours by bus from Oslo. Our favorite hotel here for meetings and conferences is the Radisson Blu Mountain Resort & Residences, 802 m.o.h. in beautiful nature. The hotel is an ideal starting point for alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, sledding and winter activities, as well as having very suitable conference facilities for larger groups. Trysil is considered one of Norway's most complete package ski destinations, with beautiful slopes, cozy restaurants, and top of the line après ski.
Many people automatically think abroad when looking for an exciting and new destination for their company trip. It’s easy to forget how many incredible destinations our own country has to offer. In this article, we have presented some of our favorite places in Norway, which after many years of experience we can safely recommend traveling to with corporate groups. Feel free to challenge us on a program proposal for your company, so that you can already press “play" on the day you can all be together again. Contact us for a non-binding proposal at ketil@motelagency.no, or submit a request via www.motelagency.no.
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