Blackbook Events and Incentive Travel

For those who are unaware, incentive trips and corporate events are the ultimate golden ticket where the who’s who of success in the corporate world are heralded as a result of their workplace achievements. From conferences to seminars, these events are where the top performers are recognized and rewarded and, in doing so, create a  competitive drive in the workforce.  Travelling to the most opulent hotels and event venues that Europe has to offer, the reward for hard work and accomplishment is the gift of rest, rejuvenation and enjoyment. Such over the top events are exactly why corporations seek out Jarle Nordhaug, founder of BlackBook Events.

Oslo-born Jarle Nordhaug is one of today’s true pioneers who has united the luxury travel and lifestyle industry with the corporate sector. His 25 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry and a background in sales and advertising have equipped him with the tools to create indulgent experiences that his corporate clients seek out. BlackBook Events selects haute hotels and exceptional venues to host high-end clients for world class incentive trips and corporate events.

Nordhaug has an interesting story regarding how Blackbook and his career in incentive travel came together. In early 2000 following the sale of his advertising agency, Nordhaug packed his bags and relocated from Oslo to the South of France. Despite moving, Jarle hasn’t forgotten his roots as he still flits between Monaco, Oslo and the Alps. After a year of working with real estate investments in the Cote d’Azur, Nordhaug felt that something was lacking as he missed the creativity he thrived on with the advertising agencies. It was then that Nordhaug decided to fully pursue his love of the travel industry, creating a platform where he could combine wanderlust with the corporate world.  The “pleasure and challenges of working with brands to help them reach their goals and targets”, says Nordhaug, brought BlackBook Events into fruition.

Indeed, BlackBook Events’ motto ‘Work and Play’, certainly reflects Nordhaug’s motive to provide clients with the finest travel experiences as well as deluxe professional opportunities. His clients spend their days working hard to surpass their company’s goals but when the work is done, Nordhaug creates the play time, from urban adventures in Milano, Barcelona, Paris or London to lounging about on a private yacht charter in the Med. It is this balance that makes BlackBook Events so unique and internationally sought after by successful lawyers, banks, real estate developers and more.

Blackbook’s incentives and events include conferences, outdoor excursions, gastronomic experiences and parties that are organised from the moment of arrival to the moment of departure. An example of which would be a lavish luncheon in Les Crayères, a restaurant in Champagne with an intricate interior like that of a French chateau.  BlackBook Events goes above and beyond with more over the top experiences for his high net worth clients such as polo lessons at the St Tropez Polo Club followed by a succulent Argentinian roast. The opulence and creativity of the experiences seem to have no limit.

Other options include a  VIP conference in Cannes as he makes his clients feel like movie stars with a swanky dinner on Cannes’ beach. Yet other clients opt for the thrilling experience of the Monaco Grand Prix, where petrol heads and adrenaline junkies gather to cheer on their favorite racers. Clients can also undertake an exhilarating ski adventure in Zermatt or Lech with a stay at a five star lodge after long exhilarating days on the slopes.

For the epicurean, BlackBook Events offers incentive trips for the gourmand such as an elaborate dinner affair in Italy’s truffle rich region of Piemonte.  Nordhaug says, “I sincerely believe in delivering a project on time, on budget and most importantly above expectations” and his biggest reward is seeing satisfied clients. Nordhaug’s driven mentality and willingness to go above and beyond has undeniably been the key to the ever-growing success of BlackBook Events.

But, when it comes to the trials and tribulations of creating a new business, BlackBook Events certainly had their fair share. “Starting a company in a new country with a different culture and a different language will always be challenging. To build a flawless network of trusted partners and suppliers takes time and needs careful attention and it took me some years to arrive at the level I wanted”. In fact, it took a total of 15 years for BlackBook Events to attain the contacts and event partners that it has today.

Nordhaug’s success with BlackBook Events has made that hard work worthwhile, given the lifestyle it has brought him. It’s certainly not a life of all work with days in the sun-soaked French Riviera surrounded by magnificent views of the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea. When not in Monaco, he travels from one tony European destination and resort to the next while planning his next corporate event. In between meetings, e-mails and phone calls, Nordaug can be found enjoying a rejuvenating game of tennis or an exhilarating long bike ride on the weekend.  It is no question that Nordhaug’s day-to-day captures the very meaning of the renowned expression: “This is the life!” and is something BlackBook’s incentive trips and events mirror perfectly.

With such a unique mindset and a second-to-none level of expertise, it is no surprise that Jarle Nordhaug and BlackBook Events is paving the way forward for the unforgettable corporate experience. To find out more information on Jarle Nordhaug and Blackbook Events, visit the website at https://blackbook.mc/.

Feature written by Melina Notidou