A hospitality experience rooted in the desire to let Gotland be truly experienced

Familiarization Trip – Meetings and Experiences on Gotland

The inspirational trip to experience Visby Resort took shape from a simple yet powerful insight: it is only when you experience Gotland for yourself that you truly understand the island’s appeal as a meeting destination. In February 2025, Hansa Event invited event companies from all over Sweden for the first time to an exclusive familiarization trip to Gotland. The purpose was clear—to showcase what the island has to offer in terms of events, experiences, and conferences on Gotland. But not through photos, videos, or presentations. Instead, by letting the participants see, feel, and be part of the experience themselves. We’re convinced that once you’ve felt the atmosphere, experienced the hospitality, and been right in the middle of it all—then it becomes natural to recommend Gotland to your clients.

Number of participants

25 different event agencies/travel companies from Sweden were represented on site.

38 people

Number of days

Two intensive days filled with inspiring experiences.

2 days

Gotlandic Companies

Several Gotlandic companies participated and contributed to the experience.

52 companies

The Journey to Gotland

An important part of the idea behind Experience Visby Resort was to challenge the perception of travel time to Gotland. Instead of viewing the journey as merely transportation, we chose to make it an active part of the experience. Conferences, discussions, and activities began already on the train, bus, and ferry – long before participants set foot in Visby. When the journey becomes part of the overall experience, the perspective changes. The trip doesn't start when you arrive – it starts when you step aboard.

When the experience spoke for itself

During the first implementation, participants experienced Gotland through cohesive hospitality where many stakeholders collaborated. The journey to the island was filled with content and meetings. Onboard the ferry, opportunities for conferences and activities were showcased, including taste experiences with local producers. Upon arrival, participants were met by hosts from Visby's hotels and personally escorted to their accommodations. The evening led them through Visby's historic surroundings – with knight escorts, candlelight, a fire show, music, a torchlight procession, and a communal dinner. Everything was designed to create presence, curiosity, and community. The following day, participants gathered for a smaller Gotland fair at Wisby Strand, where about forty Gotlandic businesses met the event companies. Here, new contacts were made, ideas were born, and concrete collaborations took shape – not only between participants and suppliers, but also among the island's stakeholders.

The Outcome

Experience Visby Resort was a clear success. Participants described how they quickly gained a deep understanding of Gotland's potential, while relationships were built in a natural and unpretentious way. The smaller Gotland fair proved to be one of the trip's greatest strengths – a format that created real value, concrete business, and new collaborations.

This confirmed what we have always believed:
Genuine experiences create stronger relationships than presentations ever can.

Our Way of Working

Experience Visby Resort is a clear expression of how we at Hansa Event work. We don't believe in selling destinations with words. We believe in letting people experience, feel, and remember. With joy, reliability, flexibility, and personal commitment – always with Gotland as our foundation – we create meetings that truly make a difference.