This spring, ATA created a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse tour for a leading cultural institution, sending nearly 400 travelers to the Texas Hill Country. Along the path of totality, travelers had the chance to witness the celestial spectacle. This was a record-breaking trip for ATA and our esteemed partners, and it encapsulated the spirit of adventure, learning, and community that defines us.
Events Management
The San Francisco Ballet Goes to London
The San Francisco Ballet Goes to London When the San Francisco Ballet returned to London in June 2019, it was the first time the company had performed in the city for seven years. To celebrate the occasion, they invited their top donors to join them for a week of world-premiere performances, receptions and dinners with the company, and private visits to some of the city’s lesser-known treasures. Their most important priority: engaging with their dedicated supporters and strengthening relationships through intimate gatherings and inspiring cultural experiences in London. What they didn’t want to worry about was the logistical details. That’s where ATA came in. Hosting a week of high-touch elegant events for VIPs is a bit like planning a series of small weddings. It requires a mastery of complex logistics, a network of tried-and-true contacts on the ground, a knack for creative thinking and problem solving, and a generous amount of inspiration. Our team worked with the Office of Development to craft and plan every element of the program, from designing a custom itinerary and brochure to taking reservations, working with a London florist, planning menus and providing options and upgrades for each guest. Every detail needed to reflect our client’s vision. The group of 20+ donors was treated to six magical nights in London, featuring four performances of the San Francisco Ballet at London’s prestigious Sadler’s Wells Theatre. In addition, donors enjoyed an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to watch Royal Ballet rehearsals at the Royal Opera House; private receptions and dinners; a rare, curator-led tour of the dance collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Blythe House; and an excursion to Althorp House—ancestral home of the Spencer family and burial site of Princess Diana—for a private lunch and tour. One of the program’s highlights was a gala evening, for over a hundred guests hosted, at the enchanting Two Temple Place, a gem of late-Victorian architecture built for Lord William Waldorf Astor. Over cocktails and dinner within this sumptuous but intimate mansion, the donors were able to mingle with the dancers, musicians, choreographers, and directors they generously support. In her letter inviting donors on the trip, Chief Development Officer Danielle St. Germain-Gordon promised an experience that would be “exciting, educational, and busy…a memorable week for us all.” With ATA backstage, planning and operating the program, they delivered on their promise, making the San Francisco Ballet’s return to London an unforgettable experience for its benefactors.
Babson Connect: Worldwide
Babson Connect: Worldwide Babson College operates Babson Connect: Worldwide (BCW), an annual global entrepreneurship summit for the Babson community and global business leaders. BCW is a large, high-stakes event that plays a key role in Babson’s efforts to foster loyalty and engagement with their global alumni, encourage philanthropy, and build relationships with key stakeholders. Babson worked with ATA in 2017 as event planners and travel partners and asked us to operate the 2018 conference in Madrid, Spain. An event of this size and importance requires a full throttled, top-to-bottom delivery of services. With 400+ attendees, we managed a pre-conference Babson trustee trip to Portugal, configured and implemented the conference tech platform and app, coordinated two hotel room blocks, supported keynote speakers and panel sessions, hired and managed a production company for lighting and staging, rented venues (like the Madrid Casino), planned and implemented off-site excursions, and created both print and digital marketing materials. “Very well organized event. From an attendee’s perspective, the logistics, the content, the location, the social elements, were all perfect!” But most importantly, we proactively and regularly communicated and worked with the many personnel at Babson who had skin in the conference organizing game. In this way, we were able to appropriately set and manage expectations across multiple in-house decision-makers, thereby alleviating much of the stress that managing an event of this magnitude can cause. The event was seamless. In the words of one participant, “Very well organized event. From an attendee’s perspective, the logistics, the content, the location, the social elements, were all perfect!” We also earned kudos from CVENT, the makers of the technology application we employed for the conference. CVENT instructed us that we needed 10 weeks of lead time to launch the application. We were able expedite the process in record time (6 weeks!), matching Babson’s schedule. Relying on us to manage these logistics gave Babson exactly what it needed: the chance to focus their energy on building relationships with key attendees and donors, and laying the foundation for the 2019 conference that would celebrate the college’s centennial.
D-Day Crossing: London and Normandy via the English Channel
D-Day Crossing:London and Normandy via the English Channel Crossing the English Channel as the Allied Forces did on June 6, 1944 is on the bucket list of many family members of the Greatest Generation. For this reason, we have operated D-Day programs for over 30 years. Each 5th commemorative year, the experience takes on added poignancy, and is now the jewel in the crown of ATA’s military history-themed programs. Participants visit key Churchill sights in London, like the War Room itself, and learn about the Enigma Machine at Bletchley Park that deciphered the German’s encoded messages. During anniversary years, they also attend official D-Day ceremonies alongside of British, French and American dignitaries. In many cases, family members of D-Day veterans return home from this trip understanding for the first time the true nature of their loved one’s wartime experience. Previous Next This program highlights how ATA can take a well-told story and skillfully weave it throughout an itinerary. The places we visit are carefully curated and showcase the destination through the lens of history. It also demonstrates the seasoned organizational skills required to manage a myriad of details, including securing official invitations for travelers to attend the official D-Day ceremonies. Our planning for the 75th anniversary began two years in advance, allowing us to secure prime hotel space and add departures as space filled up. After travelers were booked, we also communicated extensively with them to set expectation vis-à-vis traffic logistics, security concerns, and Brexit! In the end, all nine groups had very memorable experiences.
