Hays, Elite Incentive, Marrakech 2025

The brief

Hays’ annual Elite incentive is a long-standing moment of reward and recognition for their top-performing sales teams across Europe. To mark the achievement properly, the programme took place across three consecutive weekends in Marrakech, a city buzzing with energy, colour and culture.

Our brief was to design and manage a 3-night experience, with an itinerary that balanced structured moments, downtime, and meaningful time with senior leaders. With 50 attendees arriving each weekend and guests travelling from Germany, France, Switzerland, Poland and other European markets, Hays needed logistics that ran smoothly, a consistent experience across all three weekends, and a partner they could rely on to keep everything moving.

Our approach

Our approach was shaped around creating a programme that felt celebratory, sociable and infused with authentic local touches. Ahead of travel, guests were given access to a QR-code digital hub, replacing printed materials with a single reference point. It included itineraries, local context and language tips, helping guests feel prepared while keeping unnecessary waste to a minimum. This also set expectations early, ahead of arrival at Sofitel Marrakech, where each weekend began with a welcome dinner and senior leader speeches to bring everyone together.

Across the three weekends, the agenda balanced standout moments with contrast and breathing space. A guided 4×4 journey into the Atlas Mountains provided a shared highlight, combining expansive viewpoints with cultural storytelling. This was offset by quieter moments, including a traditional lunch beside the lake, chosen deliberately as a calmer counterpoint to the pace and intensity of the medina.

Back in the city, guests took part in a photo-based Medina Challenge, navigating the souks on foot through a mix of team tasks, spice stops and friendly competition. Evenings focused on food, atmosphere and connection, moving between established local restaurants (such as BÔ ZIN, located at the gates of Marrakech) and a rooftop farewell dinner under the stars with local entertainment and a DJ. Personal touches mattered too, including the quiet marking of guest birthdays with personalised cakes.

Food and drink were treated as part of the experience, showcasing locally sourced, seasonal produce, strong plant-based and vegetarian options, reduced reliance on red meat, and an emphasis on Moroccan specialities such as tagines and simple, flavoursome dishes. Gifting followed the same thinking, with each guest receiving items that reflected the region and supported local communities, including argan oil sourced from local co-operatives and branded hand fans made from bamboo and recycled paper.

Behind the scenes, careful planning kept everything moving. Despite a small number of travel disruptions, including a temporary airport closure on return, all three weekends ran smoothly. Schedules were adjusted in real time, minibuses were used to keep city travel efficient, and table plans were rotated at each meal to encourage conversation, movement and meaningful time with senior leaders.

Thank you, Lemon Lane, for yet another amazing event! You managed to create a unique and unforgettable experience for more than 150 participants over three consecutive weekends. Wow! You brought the Arabian nights to life: the hotel, the colorful and lively medina, the rocky Atlas Mountains, amazing restaurants and the grand finale at a traditional rooftop bar including local dancing and wild partying. We are happy to have you as strategic partner and we know that we can rely on you to make the impossible possible!

Imke Mahner

Chief People & Culture Officer, Germany and CEMEA

The Result.

Across all three weekends, the experience was rated 4.5 out of 5 by participants, with feedback consistently recognising the support and delivery of the project leads. The programme delivered across several fronts. It rewarded high-performing sales teams, strengthened connections across multiple European markets, and created space for meaningful engagement with senior leaders. Time together was built into the agenda naturally, and the use of local settings and experiences helped ground the programme in its destination.

Sustainability outcomes were measured alongside experience. Against a target of 966.46 kg CO2e per participant, the programme achieved an average footprint of 795.16 kg CO2e per participant, representing a reduction of 171.3 kg CO2e per person.

Together, these elements reinforced the Elite incentive as a credible and motivating marker of performance and recognition. The combination of a distinctive destination, thoughtful design and seamless operations made this edition of Hays Elite one that stayed with people long after the final weekend.