Conference and event planning
Conference planning with Clarion Hotel®: Expert advice on what makes the difference
Whether you are planning a small internal kick-off or a large-scale conference with thousands of participants, the difference between a successful event and a frustrating one rarely lies in the programme alone. More often, it comes down to the many small details that shape the experience from start to finish.
That is a lesson Stine Svendsen knows well. As project lead for Campus, Elkjøp Nordic’s extensive internal training programme and the largest technology expo the Nordics, she has spent years designing and delivering large, complex gatherings for employees across the Nordic region — with Clarion Hotel® as the long-standing venue partner and base for the event.
“It’s the small decisions that determine whether people leave inspired or irritated,” she says.
A Nordic training programme on a large scale
Elkjøp Nordic operates more than 400 stores across the Nordic countries under the brands Elkjøp in Norway, Elgiganten in Sweden, Elgiganten in Denmark and Gigantti in Finland. With a constantly evolving product range and a workforce spread across the Nordic countries, the need for structured, large-scale training is substantial.
Campus is one of the answers. The four-week programme brings together thousands of employees each year for product training, classroom teaching, conferences and a large internal technology expo — all designed to build both competence and shared culture.
For more than a decade, Campus has been based at The Qube, a large conference centre and one of the most established venues of its kind in the Nordics. Together, Elkjøp Nordic and Clarion Hotel® Oslo Airport have developed a framework capable of supporting an event of this scale and complexity.
Why long-term partnerships matter
Svendsen has been responsible for Campus for many years. With over a decade at Elkjøp Nordic and a background in travel and hospitality, she is acutely aware of where events tend to fail — and what it takes to make them work.
The fact that Campus has remained at Clarion Hotel® for so long is no coincidence.
The partnership, she explains, has developed through consistency and mutual trust. The team knows what to expect operationally, but is still challenged with new ideas and improvements year after year. That balance makes it possible to focus on content and participants rather than logistics.
Running Campus, she adds, is a major operation. Parallel programmes run simultaneously for different groups, across large areas, with high technical demands. In that context, a venue partner must be both reliable and easy to collaborate with.
“It’s a collaboration that has grown stronger over time. I know I can trust that everything works, while they also challenge us with new ideas,” she says.
What defines a strong conference day?
According to Svendsen, a good conference experience is never defined by the agenda alone. The elements that matter most are often the most basic — but also the most easily overlooked:
A strong start to the day
Coffee, freshly squeezed juice and omelettes made to order.
Technology that works
No microphones that fail and no screens that refuse to turn on.
Breaks and food that sustain energy
Enough time to mingle, a buffet that stays replenished, and menus adapted to different needs.
Variation throughout the day
Short talks, workshops and rotation keep energy levels up.
Comfort at the end of the day
Good rooms and a bed that leaves you rested for the next day.
“You can have the best speakers in the world, but if the comfort and the food don’t deliver, that’s what people remember,” she says.
Why Clarion Hotel® stands out
Asked what makes Clarion Hotel® a dependable choice for large-scale events, Svendsen highlights 4 factors in particular:
1. Continuity and experience
Working with familiar faces year after year builds confidence, while new team members bring fresh perspectives.
2. Flexibility down to the details
Menus are adapted for a Nordic audience, expectations around quality are clear, and execution remains consistent even under pressure.
3. Professional guidance
Rather than agreeing to everything, the team challenges assumptions and contributes actively to programme flow, breaks and room setup.
4. Capacity and expertise
Events like Campus require extensive space and logistical know-how — both of which are essential when thousands of participants are involved.
Avoiding the most common pitfalls
Having attended countless conferences herself, Svendsen has seen the same mistakes repeated time and again.
Technical failures top the list. Few things disrupt an audience faster than a speaker standing muted in front of hundreds of people or a presentation that refuses to load. The frustration spreads quickly and pulls attention away from the content.
Overcrowded programmes, insufficient breaks and food that fails to meet participants’ needs are other recurring issues. When people are tired or hungry, learning and engagement become almost impossible.
4 principles to plan by
Based on her experience, Svendsen returns to a few core principles when planning conferences and job-related gatherings:
- Be clear about the purpose. A team-building event requires a different structure than a strategic meeting.
- Understand the audience. Relevance depends on who is in the room.
- Plan breaks deliberately. They support both learning and informal interaction.
- Take ownership. Stay involved and work closely with the venue partner throughout the process.
When those fundamentals are in place, the chances of creating an event people actually benefit from increase significantly.
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The original article was produced by Schibsted Partnerstudio as advertising content for Clarion Hotel® and was first published in Norwegian by E24 in 2025. Read the original article here. The current version has been edited and adapted for publication on www.strawberryhotels.com
