Case study
Five years of partner appreciation evenings for Carlson Rezidor in Mumbai
ICE India has produced Carlson Rezidor's yearly event for travel agents, corporate bookers and event planners, with a fresh concept each edition for a largely unchanged guest list.
By ICE India · Updated
- Client
- Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
- Event
- Annual channel partner appreciation event
- When
- Annual editions over five years or more
- Where
- Mumbai
- 5+years as the group's event partner
- 8-10guests per table, with sales team members at each
- 90 minto confirm a replacement act when a performer fell ill
The brief
Carlson Rezidor's sales team invites travel agents, corporate bookers and event planners to an evening each year, to thank them for their business and keep the relationship warm. For over five years ICE India has produced it.
The difficulty of an annual event is that the guest list barely changes. The same agents and bookers attend and compare each edition with the last, so a weaker year does harm and a repeated year bores. Each time, the evening needs a new idea that still feels like the same hotel group.
Hotel work also moves fast. Venues, performers and weather can all change on the day, so the team has to be able to solve problems without the guests ever noticing.
What ICE India delivered
A theme each year
One idea per edition, carried through activities, decor, entertainment and menu.
Activities
Contests and stations that give guests a reason to talk, such as Easter egg painting and photo booths.
Entertainment
Live bands, speakers, magicians, mentalists or DJs, chosen to suit the guests and the theme.
Seating and introductions
Tables of eight to ten, with the sales team spread across them and agents, bookers and planners mixed.
Venue rotation
Hotel ballrooms, heritage venues and rooftops over the years, so that the venue did not become stale.
Contingency cover
A backup plan and a network of performers to call if something goes wrong on the day.
Treating it as a series
ICE India keeps records of every edition: which themes and activities were used, how they went and which partners came. That stops accidental repetition and lets a good idea come back in a new form. Past themes have included seasonal celebrations, cultural explorations, decades of nostalgia and travel destinations. A theme has to feel new without being obscure.
An early edition was casino-themed, with roulette, blackjack and a racing table, and guests played for fun through the evening.
Easter egg painting
One spring edition had an Easter egg painting contest. Guests got blank eggs, paints and simple instructions, and competed in teams of three or four with a 45-minute limit. There were prizes for Most Creative, Best Traditional and Funniest.
No artistic skill was needed. The time limit kept energy up, and the work photographed well. The point was conversation: guests discussed designs, teased each other and kept their eggs. The prize was a hotel stay voucher, which brought winners to a Carlson Rezidor property.
Photo booths
Several editions had themed photo booths: Bollywood scenes in one year, travel destinations in another, and costume decades for the nostalgia edition. They were staffed by professional photographers rather than automated cameras, with props that matched the theme. Instant printers gave guests a print at once, and digital copies were emailed afterwards.
Seating and networking
Seating mixed sectors: travel agents sat with corporate bookers, and event planners with MICE specialists. Tables held eight to ten so none felt impersonal, and Carlson Rezidor's sales team was spread through the room. Menus drew on signature dishes from the group's hotels, so that guests tasted what they book for clients.
Carlson Rezidor leaders gave short appreciation speeches, which named examples of how particular partners had helped. Welcome drinks were signature cocktails named after group properties.
Entertainment and venues
Entertainment changed yearly: live bands, speakers, magicians and mentalists, and DJs when the theme suited. Many guests were 35 to 55, so music was chosen to be familiar without being dated, and performers had to be comfortable with a professional audience.
Most editions were in Mumbai, but the venue type changed: hotel ballrooms that showed off properties, and heritage buildings and rooftops for novelty.
The day a performer fell ill
During one edition the scheduled performer fell ill a few hours before the event. ICE India activated its backup plan, contacted alternative performers from its network, and within 90 minutes had a replacement confirmed and on the way. The team resolved the problem without interrupting the guest programme. Years of working with the same artists and vendors give ICE India the contacts to do this.
What made it work
- Records of every edition
- A written history of themes, activities and feedback prevents repetition.
- Ideas collected all year
- The team keeps a bank of activities and acts so that planning starts from options, not a blank page.
- Steady standards, new ideas
- Catering, production and logistics stay constant while themes and entertainment change.
- Knowing the client
- Five years show what Carlson Rezidor's brand, guests, budgets and pressures are, so ICE India can suggest ideas before being asked.
The channel partner event guide covers planning partner events like this one.
We have been associated with ICE India for more than 5 years to manage our Annual Customer Networking Event. Mufaddal has an eye for detail and perfection. As our audience is more or less the same every year, we need new concepts and ideas every year. Mufaddal is our “go to man” for creative ideas. We strongly believe he thinks “out of the box”. We have been in a tough situation during one of our events. We thank Mufaddal for making last minute arrangements to ensure that the show goes on flawlessly. This could not have been possible without his strong network and equity that he has built over the years. Kudos to team ICE India. Keep up the great work. Wish you more success in years to come.
The acronym ICE stands for Impressive, Capable, and Efficient. It was so calm and well-managed that they were able to handle the whole event from scratch. The company is experienced in handling things such as negotiations, customisation, and creativity. Our event was managed by ICE India in such a way that our client was unstoppable in appreciating it. It is Mufaddal who is the backbone of ICE India and he has a wonderful team to support him in managing any event. We had a great time working with ICE India, and I am sure they will go far in this industry. A big thank you to the team at ICE India.
Dear Mufaddal & ICE team,
I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for the amazing job you did in organizing our all-company offsite in Goa. From start to finish, it was a seamless and enjoyable experience. Your team was a pleasure to work with, and I was thoroughly impressed by their professionalism, attention to detail, and willingness to go above and beyond.
Mufaddal, throughout the planning stages, you were incredibly responsive and proactive in addressing any questions or concerns we had. You provided us with valuable insights and recommendations that helped us create a customized program that perfectly met our needs for a good balance between team building, local experiences and fun.
During the event, your team was exceptional in their coordination and execution. They were always available to help and ensure everything was running smoothly. I appreciate you being there to supervise everything and act as a point of contact throughout the event, going out of your way to accommodate any last-minute needs or changes. Your personal involvement really helped us deliver a memorable and meaningful offsite.
Overall, I am thrilled with the experience your team provided us.
Questions this event answers
How do you keep a yearly event fresh for the same guests?
Rotate the theme, the activity and the entertainment every year, change the venue type now and then, and keep records so that nothing is repeated by accident. The standard of food and production stays the same.
What kind of activity works at a partner appreciation evening?
One that needs no skill, runs for a short fixed time and gets people talking in mixed groups, such as the Easter egg painting contest or a themed photo booth. Guests join when ready, so nobody is made to take part.
How do you recover when a booked act cancels on the day?
With a standby plan and contacts. When a performer fell ill hours before a Carlson Rezidor evening, ICE India confirmed a replacement within 90 minutes from its network of artists.
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Services used: Corporate Experiences & Events ·