Whoever tried planning a company retreat for their remote team knows how complicated it can get. Either dates are not working for everyone, the venue, visa challenges, or something even more complicated. These are the reasons most companies come to OnsiteHub for advice and requests for us to take the planning off their plate.

In her many years of experience, the OnsiteHub founder, Milana Martinović discovered that teaming up with local experts is a way to go if you want to ensure an unforgettable experience for your distributed team. Local experts understand the local market and have insights that global providers do not.

“Local experts bring invaluable on-the-ground knowledge, ensuring your meetup is not just another offsite, but an immersive local experience. When planning, lean towards providers who blend global standards with local insights, ensuring a retreat that's both world-class and deeply rooted in the local culture.”

– Milana Martinović, CEO & Co-Founder of OnsiteHub

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1. Language

In tourist areas, language barriers usually do not exist or are minimal because most people speak English. In many smaller European countries, citizens are encouraged from a young age to learn more than one language. As a result, if you visit places like Dubrovnik, Belgrade, or Prague, most people working in the tourism industry will be able to assist you.

But what happens if an issue arises, or if something falls outside their vocabulary? We all know that anything can happen when a large group of people travels together. For instance, imagine a person’s flight is delayed, causing them to miss the group transfer. After hours of prolonged travel, they are exhausted, mentally drained, and struggling to think clearly. It’s late at night, or the journey has stretched far beyond what it should have been. They take a taxi to the venue, which is 30 minutes away, only to realize halfway through that they’ve lost a piece of luggage at the airport. Or perhaps they need to stop at a pharmacy for some paracetamol, but the driver doesn’t speak English. Voice translation software might be a great backup option, but what if you don’t have a local SIM card yet (think about Turkey)? Having a local expert at hand can make all the difference.

More severe situations might include explaining dietary restrictions or handling unexpected medical emergencies. If you think navigating a healthcare system in your own country is a nightmare, imagine doing it in a place where no one understands your language.

Additionally, locals often respond more positively when you speak their language rather than expecting them to speak yours. If you think learning how to say “hello,” “thank you,” and “please,” can take you a long way, imagine the impact of having a true local who understands the language, idioms, and slang. Their knowledge can not only save the day in critical situations but also enrich the entire experience, helping you connect more deeply with the culture and the people. This is why having a local expert who speaks the language, knows the area, and has local connections is a crucial part of any successful team retreat in Europe.

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2. Understanding Local Culture

So many little pieces are missing when you don’t understand the culture of the place you’re visiting. You may not understand why something is done a certain way, but to the locals, it makes perfect sense. For example, in Bulgaria, the gesture for "yes" is a subtle nod of the head, while "no" is a shake, but both motions might feel reversed to someone from another culture. Just imagine the confusion when you ask a Bulgarian a simple question and they shake their head, and you think they’re saying no—when they’re actually agreeing!

Or consider traveling to a country with a strong meat-eating culture, where the concept of vegetarianism is often a bit blurry. In some places, chicken might be considered "vegetarian," and the idea of being vegan might be completely unknown. A traveler might be left wondering how their carefully planned dietary preferences are suddenly completely misunderstood.

And then there’s Italy, where gestures are almost as important as words. Italians are known for their expressive hand movements, and what may seem like dramatic or heated conversation to an outsider is simply part of their everyday communication. It’s a lively, friendly way of expressing themselves, but it can be quite baffling for a traveler who’s not used to this level of expression.

These, and many other specifics of every destination, fall within the domain of our local experts. They know exactly how everything works in the place you are visiting and can provide valuable insights into the local way of life. This knowledge is not only useful for “surviving” in anew location but also for immersing your team in something new and unfamiliar—an experience that simply wouldn’t be possible if your guide were an outsider. By organizing each retreat in a different location, your team gets the chance to experience a variety of cultures, helping them see things from new perspectives and strengthening their connections with one another along the way.

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3. Connections on the Ground

Connections go a long way, especially in Europe, where each micro-location has its own set of rules. So many things function based on these connections, which are built through years of trust and friendships.

Want a piece of that? Then you need to work with a local who knows the right people and can connect you with the individuals you need to make your retreat perfect. This is especially clear in situations that seem hopeless—just a few kind words from a local expert can open doors that would otherwise remain closed.

Not to mention, most of the best and most reliable services can't simply be found on Google, especially in those off-the-beaten-path spots. In places like these, you really need to rely on your local expert and their insider connections.

Many services may look the same on paper, but only a trained local eye can tell the difference. For example, everyone knows two local restaurants in their own town—one that’s packed with locals and another that’s meant for tourists. Pro tip: when traveling, look at the license plates of cars parked outside the restaurant; locals tend to avoid tourist traps. Another tip: great food is often found around second-league football club grounds, where you’ll find authentic, affordable local flavors.

Sometimes, even local guides don’t fully realize what they know and how wide their network really is. But when an issue arises, they’ll tap into their network and solve the problem far quicker than any local or international agency could. This is especially evident in ad hoc and last minute requests – when the typical agency answer is “it’s impossible”, local experts say “we’ll make a few phone calls”. Their ability to navigate through challenges efficiently is one of the many reasons why having a local expert is invaluable.

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4. Insight into Each Tour and Its Suitability for Your Team

When planning a company retreat, the variety of activities available can be overwhelming. Local experts have an in-depth understanding of what each tour involves, ensuring that the selected activities align with your team’s interests, abilities, and goals. This local insight allows your retreat to be tailored to include activities that promote team bonding and cater to everyone’s preferences.

Our local experts also have experience in remote work and understand what company retreats are all about. It’s not just about team building, but about aligning the goal of the retreat with the activities that will serve that purpose. For instance, if the goal is to ease the onboarding of new team members and improve cross-departmental collaboration, a cooking class in a wine cellar in Italy paired with wine tasting may be a better fit than a competitive game. Our experts ensure the activities support the broader objectives of the retreat, making the experience both enjoyable and meaningful.

Local experts know the local subtleties, too. Many agencies may offer a generic 4x4 tour, but our experts will know exactly which tracks are suitable for your group. You might think hiking is just hiking, but understanding the area and the structure of your team makes all the difference between an enjoyable, bonding experience and an exhausting disaster that leaves everyone drained and impacts the next day’s energy and schedule.

Another great example is an art class with a renowned local painter in Istanbul, where your team can not only learn painting techniques but also gain insight into the history of visual arts in Turkey. As participants develop new skills they didn’t know they had, they’ll also create a strong memento of the whole experience—a piece of art that will sit on their desk and serve as a reminder of the retreat, their creativity, and their team connections.

That’s why our local experts are involved in every step of the planning process, from selecting the right activities to customizing each experience, ensuring everything flows smoothly and serves your retreat’s goals.

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5. Recommendations for Activities that Positively Impact the Local Community

One of the most rewarding aspects of working with local experts is their ability to suggest activities that benefit the local community. These experiences not only create a lasting impact on your team but also contribute positively to the area you’re visiting.

At OnsiteHub, we've facilitated numerous meaningful activities, one of the most cherished being a beach cleanup in collaboration with a local NGO – read about it here. We actually developed this collaboration specifically for one of our clients, and it didn’t exist before. Thanks to this partnership, the NGO is now offering the beach cleanup activity to other companies, creating a profound and lasting impact that extends far beyond our retreat. Working alongside passionate young environmentalists dedicated to preserving local ecosystems was incredibly inspiring. This activity not only bonded the team but also taught valuable lessons in sustainability and community service.

Another impactful activity we recommend is reforestation in Serbia. While it’s hard work—digging soil and planting trees—it’s also a fantastic team-building experience. The physical labor of reforestation brings people together like few other activities can, allowing them to reconnect with nature. The best part? The impact lasts for decades, even outliving most of the participants. It's a great way to offset the CO2 emissions connected with flights, providing a long-term positive effect on the environment.

When your team engages in local, impactful experiences, it strengthens your company culture and leaves a positive footprint on the community. Supporting local businesses and initiatives also makes your retreat more sustainable and enriching. If your culture is about supporting the local community and not just giving money to dubious charities—helping local producers send their kids to school instead of buying another yacht for an international CEO, teaching people to fish rather than simply buying fish—then local experts are one of the few trustworthy sources of information. They can ensure that your funds make the real impact you intended.

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6. Understanding Challenges and Quickly Overcoming Them

Every retreat comes with its own set of challenges, from logistical issues to unexpected emergencies. Local experts are equipped to handle these situations efficiently, thanks to their intimate knowledge of the area and their established networks.

Whether it’s a sudden change in weather affecting outdoor plans, a last-minute accommodation hiccup, or health and safety concerns, local experts can quickly navigate these challenges. Their ability to communicate effectively in the local language, along with their connections to local service providers, ensures that problems are resolved promptly—letting your team focus on enjoying the retreat.

But beyond just resolving logistical issues, local experts bring a unique advantage in dealing with the unexpected. We've talked a lot about the theme of "the unexpected" throughout this article, and by now, it’s clear why local experts have the edge over international agencies or even local ones. They don’t just focus on the tourism side of things—they understand the business aspect of a retreat. They are familiar with the particular challenges companies face, especially those with remote teams. They know the specific needs of companies who are gathering for a retreat: from aligning the retreat’s activities with business goals to overcoming the everyday hurdles that come up when managing a group in a foreign location.

Take, for example, when something urgent pops up—a printing service is needed right away. In this kind of situation, local experts are a game changer. They won’t just pull up a list of service providers from the Yellow Pages. Instead, they’ll tap into their personal network, checking for reliable services and getting firsthand recommendations. They'll make sure you're not overcharged by asking for the local rate and will pull a favor to ensure your job takes priority—everything will get done faster and more efficiently.

Local customs can even affect the arrival of materials. For instance, sometimes goods or materials that were promised for the retreat may be delayed due to local customs or specific shipping rules that aren’t immediately apparent to outsiders. Luckily, a local expert is not only familiar with these nuances, but they also know how to navigate them, ensuring that the materials you need arrive on time. They have the right connections to expedite the process, avoiding delays that could affect your schedule.

On the more serious side, our local experts go above and beyond when it comes to handling emergencies. A memorable example of this involved one of our experts staying up all night with a retreat participant who needed to be moved between three different hospitals due to health concerns. Thanks to their deep local knowledge and connections, the expert helped navigate the healthcare system, ensuring the individual received proper care. What could have been a much bigger issue was resolved with only temporary consequences instead. Luckily, we’ve never had a life-or-death situation, but there have been plenty of times when a local expert’s quick thinking turned a potentially catastrophic situation into just a minor hiccup.

These experts can react much quicker and solve problems far more effectively, which is especially important when working within a limited timeframe. When you’re trying to make the most out of every moment of your retreat, having someone on the ground who can handle problems immediately allows you to focus on what really matters—creating a meaningful experience for your team.

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7. Access to Hidden Gems

Local experts can introduce you to hidden gems that most mainstream tourists miss. These off-the-beaten-path spots can take your retreat from ordinary to extraordinary, offering unique experiences that your team will remember for years.

The real strength of a local expert lies in their knowledge of these lesser-known treasures. Whether it’s the perfect time to visit an iconic attraction to get the best photos with the fewest crowds, or knowing about hidden spots that haven’t yet made it into the latest travel guides, their insider knowledge makes all the difference. They know exactly when to visit a site or how to approach an experience to make sure it feels truly special and not just like another tourist trap.

Sometimes, their network can create unique experiences that you wouldn't have been able to find on your own. For example, during a retreat in the Serbian mountains, we were passing through expansive raspberry fields (Serbia is the third-largest producer of raspberries in the world). Our local expert quickly reached out to their network, and within minutes, we were treated to a raspberry-picking party—fresh, all-you-can-eat berries straight from the bush. It was an unforgettable experience, completely off the radar for most tourists.

But it’s not just about the unexpected surprises. A local expert ensures that you don’t miss out on hidden gems that might otherwise fly under the radar. I remember attending a press conference at a castle in the UK, just 12 km away from Stratford-upon-Avon, and it was only by pure chance that I found out about it. Local experts make sure you don't stumble across these treasures by accident—they help you plan ahead, ensuring you get to experience everything the area has to offer, and make your time truly unique.

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8. Enhanced Safety and Security

When organizing a company retreat, safety is always assumed, but it's never a guarantee. It’s something that needs to be actively ensured and planned for, especially when you’re in unfamiliar territory. Local experts are there to make sure safety is a priority, from the very start of the trip all the way through to the end.

Safety looks different depending on the size of your group. For a smaller team, it might be as simple as knowing the safest routes to walk around a city or finding a quiet, less crowded restaurant for a dinner. For larger groups, however, managing logistics like transport, coordinating check-ins, and keeping track of everyone’s whereabouts becomes more critical. A local expert will not only plan for these things but also make sure that everything runs smoothly so no one is left behind or feeling unsafe.

The best part is that local experts often work behind the scenes, making sure everything goes according to plan, but their presence is felt in the group dynamics. They’re the invisible hand that ensures everything flows smoothly—keeping everyone engaged and focused while handling the details that might otherwise overwhelm the group.

They’re also great at keeping local "sharks" at bay, warning you about potential issues before they arise. Whether it's a not-so-friendly vendor, an area that's not safe at night, or any situation where things might go sideways, your local expert will give you a heads-up so you can avoid any uncomfortable or risky situations.

I’ve seen this firsthand. One of my colleagues thought she could organize a retreat in Egypt by herself, confident she could handle all the logistics. But when things started to go sideways—last-minute hotel changes, transportation mix-ups, and even cultural misunderstandings—it was a local colleague who saved the day. She knew exactly how to handle the situation, bringing everything back on track and ensuring the team was safe and well taken care of.

A similar situation happened with a company planning a retreat in Morocco. They booked a beautiful resort, but it turned out to be in a part of town that wasn’t quite as ideal as they thought. The area was isolated, with no real connection to the rest of the city, and it felt unsafe to walk around at night. There was an unpleasant smell in the air, and the resort itself, though beautiful, had no real connection to the vibrant culture of Morocco. The team ended up spending the entire retreat stuck in the resort, missing out on the local experiences that would have made the trip unforgettable. With a local expert, they could have been guided to a more engaging, authentic part of town, where they could have explored the true essence of Morocco instead of staying confined in a place that felt more like a golden cage.

All of these situations—and many others—could and should have been avoided by using local expertise. Not only does it enhance safety, but it ensures that your retreat goes beyond the ordinary and becomes truly enriching for everyone involved.

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9. Customizable Itineraries

One-size-fits-all itineraries rarely meet the diverse needs of a team. Local experts are great at creating customizable itineraries that are tailored to your group’s specific goals and preferences. Whether you're focused on team-building, relaxation, cultural immersion, or a mix of all three, they can design a schedule that aligns perfectly with your objectives.

Local experts stay on top of seasonal activities, such as festivals and cultural events, making sure you don’t miss out on unique opportunities. For instance, did you know that Oktoberfest is actually held in September? Your expert will ensure that you get the most out of local happenings, integrating them into your retreat experience to give your team an authentic taste of the culture.

And let’s face it—things don’t always go according to plan. Local experts are always ready with a Plan B (or even C) in case of urgent changes. Whether it’s bad weather, a delayed schedule, or something unexpected, they’re quick to adapt and find the best alternative, so your retreat keeps running smoothly.

Plus, they’re not just experts in travel and events—they understand remote work dynamics too. They know how to balance the needs of your company, making sure the activities support not just team building but also the specific challenges of remote work. They’ll recommend options that help improve collaboration, communication, and team cohesion, all while making sure your retreat is meaningful and productive for your company’s unique culture.

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10. Cost Efficiency

While it might seem that hiring a local expert adds an extra expense, it often leads to overall cost savings. Local experts have established relationships with local vendors, which allows them to secure insider pricing and better deals. Thanks to their network, they know roughly how much discount they can expect from suppliers, accommodations, and activity providers.

For example, a local expert might be able to negotiate a lower price for a venue or a group dinner simply because they have longstanding connections with the business. This local knowledge ensures that you don’t overpay for services and that you get the most value out of your budget.

At OnsiteHub, we advise clients to set a budget at the outset and then work together in a joint brainstorming session to tailor activities that fit within that framework. This collaborative approach helps ensure that the retreat experience is aligned with both the financial plan and your team’s objectives.

Their insights allow you to allocate your funds more effectively, ensuring that every dollar spent enhances your retreat. From recommending the best local spots for meals to finding hidden gems for activities, local experts help ensure your retreat is not only memorable but also financially savvy.

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Book Your Unforgettable Company Retreat with Us

Teaming up with local experts when planning a company retreat offers numerous advantages that significantly enhance the experience. From navigating language barriers and understanding local culture to providing on-the-ground connections and handling challenges swiftly, local experts ensure that your retreat is not just successful, but extraordinary. 

Embrace their expertise and transform your next company retreat into an unforgettable journey that deeply resonates with your team and leaves a positive impact on the local community. Talk to our team about your next destination.

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