Collaboration in Event Design:
How Co-Creation Elevates Meetings & Incentives 

The most powerful event experiences are rarely created alone. 

They are shaped in conversation. Built through trust. Refined through shared expertise. And elevated by the communities who bring them to life. 

Across the Hosts Global Alliance, collaborative event design is not a behind-the-scenes detail. It is a design strategy. It is how cultural authenticity is protected. It is how social impact becomes meaningful. It is how a venue transforms from a backdrop into a living story. 

In this February Design Edition, we’re exploring how co-creation turns meetings, incentives, and corporate events into deeply human experiences. From centuries-old Catalan traditions to Maasai-led storytelling in East Africa, from social impact initiatives in Vietnam to historic hot air balloons in Philadelphia, these stories show what happens when planners, DMCs, artists, nonprofits, and communities build something together. 

Because when design is shared, it becomes unforgettable.

Collaboration with Cultural Custodians
Honoring Heritage Through Co-Creation

Spain: Castellers de Vilafranca
Submitted by Spaintacular, A Hosts Global Member 

For a high-profile event in Barcelona, Spaintacular partnered with the Castellers de Vilafranca, one of Catalonia’s most iconic community groups. The human tower tradition dates back centuries, and it carries deep symbolism around unity, trust, and collective strength. 

Rather than simply booking a performance, the team co-created the experience. The castellers guided the narrative. They explained the ritual. They shaped how lighting, staging, and music would align with the rhythm of each formation. 

As the tower rose, dozens of hands supporting one another, and the enxaneta climbed to the top in triumph, the room fell silent. It was not just entertainment. It was a living metaphor for shared purpose. 

The Planner Takeaway: If you want cultural programming to feel authentic, invite cultural custodians into the design process. When local groups help shape how their traditions are presented, the result feels respectful, immersive, and emotionally resonant rather than performative. 

East Africa: Maasai Co-Creation in Action
Submitted by Classic Journeys, A Hosts Global Member

For Classic Journeys Africa, collaboration is not a feature. It is the foundation. A recent bespoke journey included a Maasai village visit designed hand-in-hand with elders, women leaders, and youth representatives. 

Together, they shaped storytelling moments, song, daily-life participation, and the overall flow of the experience. Cultural protocols were honored because the Maasai themselves led the design. 

Guests did not observe a performance. They stepped into the rhythm of community life. Traditional beadwork, dress, and homestead design were not staged elements. They were part of a living culture. 

The Planner Takeaway: Authenticity is not created by proximity. It is created by partnership. When communities are co-authors, not just contributors, your incentive program becomes a platform for reciprocity and respect. 

Scotland: Alice in Wonderland at the National Museum
Submitted by Spectra, A Hosts Global Member 

At Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland, Spectra transformed the Grand Gallery into a whimsical Alice in Wonderland garden party. Guests entered through a streamer-filled Rabbit Hole, greeted by the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit. 

Floral installations, oversized clocks, half-painted roses, and themed culinary stations brought the literary world to life. Acrobats, stilt walkers, musicians, and costumed staff blurred the line between guest and performer. 

This was not just décor. It was collaboration between designers, entertainers, venue partners, and technical teams to merge a Welcome Event and Party Night into one immersive narrative. 

The Planner Takeaway: When multiple creative partners collaborate around a single story, cohesion increases and engagement deepens. Unified storytelling across design, food, and entertainment creates experiences guests remember long after the conference ends. 

Collaboration for Social Impact
Designing Experiences That Give Back 

Vietnam: Wheelchair of Hope
Submitted by Realm Events Vietnam, A Hosts Global Member

In Ho Chi Minh City, Realm Vietnam partnered with local nonprofit organizations including Maison Chance and the Association for the Support of the Disabled and Orphans to design a meaningful “Wheelchair of Hope” experience. 

Guests worked side-by-side to build 70 high-quality wheelchairs. Local representatives shaped the storytelling, the ceremony, and the emotional arc of the experience. The layout of the space encouraged collaboration and shared visibility. 

Vietnam’s post-war legacy added depth and context, turning a team-building moment into a human-centered experience rooted in empathy and responsibility. 

Participants shifted from incentive mindset to collective purpose. They were not simply participating. They were contributing to real lives. 

The Planner Takeaway: Corporate social responsibility should never feel symbolic. When nonprofits co-design the experience, social impact becomes tangible, emotional, and deeply meaningful for attendees. 

San Diego: Vintage Warbird Flyover
Submitted by Hosts Southern California 

With a strong military presence in San Diego, give-back initiatives often arise. When a client requested a wow moment that also supported the local community, Hosts Southern California partnered with Showboss Productions to coordinate a vintage warbird flyover. 

Beyond the breathtaking aerial moment, Showboss directs proceeds toward funding memorial flyovers for veterans when official military resources are unavailable. 

Producing this experience required FAA coordination, detailed scripting, and precise timing. The collaboration between client, DMC, aviation partner, and community mission created an unforgettable tribute that resonated long after the event concluded. 

The Planner Takeaway: When selecting CSR elements, choose partners whose mission aligns authentically with your destination. Collaboration with purpose-driven organizations ensures emotional impact and measurable community benefit. 

Collaboration with Local Creative Forces
Where Place Shapes Design 

Switzerland: Design Rooted in the Land
Submitted by World Events Consulting, A Hosts Global Member

World Events Consulting describes itself as the conductor of each event, bringing together decorators, technical experts, artists, and local music associations. Swiss-based suppliers are prioritized to deepen sustainability and authenticity. 

One small but meaningful example says it all. For an event featuring hay bales in the décor, the team sourced them directly from the farmer next to the venue. 

It is a detail that guests may not consciously notice. But it grounds the experience in place and people. 

The Planner Takeaway: Local sourcing is more than sustainability. It is storytelling. Even the smallest collaborative choices can strengthen the emotional depth of your event. 

Germany: Oktoberfest with Hofbräuhaus
Submitted by Eurotravel Solutions, A Hosts Global Member

Designing a private Oktoberfest for 450 participants required close collaboration with Hofbräuhaus. From the ceremonial Fassanstich to brass bands, Schuhplattler dancers, and personalized white-and-blue décor, every detail reflected Bavarian tradition. 

Rustic baskets of sunflowers, gingerbread hearts, cascading garlands, and client-branded flags transformed the venue into an authentic beer tent experience. 

Two creative teams working side-by-side ensured that the event balanced large-scale logistics with cultural integrity. 

The Planner Takeaway: When recreating iconic traditions, collaborate directly with heritage institutions or cultural brands. Their expertise preserves authenticity while elevating scale. 

Philadelphia: The 40-Foot Hot Air Balloon
Submitted by Roberts Event Group, A Hosts Global Member

For PCMA’s Opening Reception, Roberts Event Group partnered with local designers to bring the theme “Philadelphia Firsts” to life. The centerpiece was a 40-foot hot air balloon installation inspired by the first American flight in 1793. 

Working within a convention center with high ceilings, the team engineered a custom truss structure to bring the balloon into guest sightlines. Recyclable and repurposed materials crafted by local artisans added texture and dimension. 

The installation became a conversation starter, a photo moment, and a bold visual anchor that set the tone for the conference. 

The Planner Takeaway: Collaboration with local creatives transforms history into immersive design. When artisans and designers help interpret a theme, your event gains originality and emotional spark. 

Why Co-Creation Matters for Meeting and Incentive Planners 

What is co-creation in event design? It is the intentional collaboration between planners, DMCs, artists, nonprofits, community leaders, and suppliers to shape experiences together rather than in isolation. 

Why does it matter? 

Because co-created experiences: 

• Increase cultural authenticity 

• Strengthen social impact 

• Elevate storytelling 

• Deepen attendee engagement 

• Create meaningful differentiation 

In a world where attendees crave connection and purpose, collaboration becomes your competitive advantage. 

At Hosts Global, our Alliance Members are not simply producing events. They are building relationships that fuel creativity. They are inviting communities to the table. They are proving that the most powerful design moments happen when many hands shape the vision. 

If you’re ready to design your next meeting, incentive, or corporate event through true collaboration, our global network is here to guide the way. 

Let’s create something extraordinary. Together.