#PlanetIMEX: Amazing Success for MICE-focused Remote Site Inspections to the Faroe Islands!

PRESS RELEASE

The idea of presenting virtual “pre- and post tours” around the launching week of PlanetIMEX in May showcases once more the creativity of the remote and small Faroe Islands. When it comes to promoting quality and knowledge available on the islands to international meeting planners, there is no limit to the enthusiasm of the local meeting industry and -ambassadors.

Well – if you cannot bring hosted IMEX planners to the Faroe Islands, we bring the islands to the hosted buyers. Through eight different tours the community of Visit Faroe Islands Meetings and local DMCs and hotels presented products specially suitable for meeting planners. Included were tours to the new hotels opening later in the year, Hotel Brandan and Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands, and two established meeting hotels, Hotel Føroyar and Hotel Hafnia in Tórshavn but also introductions of small venues and cabins and tours to extra remote places like the southernmost island of Suduroy.

A remote travel tool was developed earlier, which allowed interested persons to register and thus be in control of the (tour) guide for a short real-time period – with long waiting lines on entering the tours, as so many people wanted to try out. The gag was that participants could determine directions for the guide which led to some funny shots in the filming. On top the tour was streamded live on YouTube with accompanying chats.

A phenomenal 1842 visitors were counted during the week of the tours! All tours are online and the videos can be visited at everybody’s convenience on Visit Faroe Islands YouTube channel:

Besides meeting many lambs (and their mothers…) on the tours there were a lot of special moments, according to feedback from our colleague Kristina, who perfectly guided all of the tours:

– when we did the tour in Bøur, we went on a boat trip where we caught some cod straight away, within seconds. Also, pretty unexpectedly it was very snowy when we were in Bøur.

– there was a choir in Hotel Føroyar, which sounded absolutely amazing,

– and when we were in Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands, they greeted us with a Faroese singer called MC Restorff.

picture copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

pictures copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

pictures copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

copyright @VisitFaroeIslandsMeetings

– the Nordic House went all in, and had a pianist, contemporary dance, and one of the leading bands here with front singer called Jasmin.

– on the NAX tour, Ólavur, one of the NAX partners, jumped in the sea outside Hestoy and climbed up the rocks there, and when we came to Koltur both me and Ólavur jumped of the boat and swam to the beach… and just walking around the old houses from 1600s in Koltur with Bjørn (a local) was soo beautiful.

– The city views in Hafnia and the suite was stunning, and it was very mesmerizing to come into the old restaurant Katrina Christiansen with all its history and colors.

– In Suðuroy we started in Akraberg, and then we went to Sumba… There are just spectacular views! We then went into the old church there, where Pól Arni Holm the lead singer in the rockband Hamradun sang for us – who was named the Faroese male singer of this year!

– In Gjógv it started hailing whilst we did the tour, and the equipment started acting out… This is part of the challenges in the Faroe Islands, which we had to face that day. But then we ended the day with beautiful summer weather in Koltur.

There were many great, funny and cute moments…and as a whole it was a revelation to us, that this is a great tool to show off our destination in the future.