Case: Ice Hockey

Close Collaboration

In close collaboration with the destination, players, association, organisers and local authorities, OrgaNicer developed the concept, set prices and managed accommodation for the audience, teams and officials for one of the world’s largest events, the Ice Hockey World Championship.

For all the co-organisers of such a huge event as the Ice Hockey World Championship it is a large and overwhelming task. When it also happens to be held in a relatively small destination like Herning, there’s even more of a need for strong concept development, competitive pricing and a lot of collaboration.

What did we do?

When you need to find 10,000 beds in a destination that only has 1,200-1,500 hotel rooms, you have to think creatively. In close collaboration with the other players, we planned out a number of traditional and not-so-traditional accommodation options.
There was very little available data and knowledge from previous World Championships, so many things were based on the research done by OrgaNicer, which included a study trip to that year’s host city. Agreements with hotels in the city of Herning and in a radius of approximately 45 minutes were negotiated by OrgaNicer. Based in Herning and with a close, continuous collaboration with the many hotels in the area, we were able to meet the wishes and needs of the teams and the organisers.

The audience had the opportunity to stay with local citizens, in cosy tent camps and in many other sites around the city or close to the arena. Denmark can be an expensive place to visit, and with the more affordable options on offer, many of the visiting fans were able to come and cheer for their team.

What worked?

We set up a reception to receive the overnight guests at the arena. In this way we could make sure that help was never far away. Both pre-booked guests and walk ins had the opportunity to book accommodation, including renting sleeping bags, etc. There were social meeting places outside of the arena and a fan zone, as well as the opportunity to buy groceries.

We used our many contacts and our experience with negotiation of hotel agreements. And we did it all in close collaboration with the organisers as well as local players. With our intervention, we ensured that the organisers, visitors and hotels all had a positive experience. We contributed to the hotel prices not skyrocketing unnecessarily, and made sure there were affordable alternatives available, whilst also ensuring that the entire destination profited from the event.