Organising a 2-day seminar: five decisions before the programme
A two-day seminar is built backwards: decide what the teams should take home, then write the programme. Five decisions first:
- The objective: decide, align, bring people together, train? It sets the share of work and the share of emotion.
- The guest count: from a management committee to several hundred people, the format changes.
- The destination: Paris, with no overnight stay required, or Morocco, with one night on site.
- The date: to cross-check with school holidays, long weekends and, in Morocco, Ramadan (see our 2027 calendar).
- The budget, given at the brief: it guides the venue, the travel and the catering.
Our brief template asks these questions in order.
The sample programme in Paris
Many Paris seminars run without an overnight stay: teams go home, which lightens the logistics. A hotel night is only planned for colleagues from other regions or abroad. The seminar takes place in a private venue (hotel, mansion, rooftop, museum): see our 10 event venues in Paris.
Day 1: work and reconnect
- 9:00 am: welcome, coffee, badges.
- 9:30 am: opening plenary, objectives and direction from leadership.
- 11:00 am: workshops in sub-groups, mixing departments.
- 12:45 pm: seated lunch, in another space of the venue.
- 2:30 pm: second work session, then feedback.
- 7:00 pm: dinner in a venue different from the working one, with one big moment (a guest, a set, a short show).
- 10:30 pm: end of the evening and arranged journeys home.
Day 2: decide and leave with a direction
- 9:30 am: breakfast.
- 10:00 am: synthesis workshop, decisions and owners.
- 12:00 pm: lunch.
- 1:30 pm: team activity, for example a team building treasure hunt in an exceptional venue.
- 4:00 pm: closing, commitments, a word from leadership.
- 5:00 pm: departure.
Our team produced: Paris Blockchain Week, dinner for 600 guests under the Louvre Pyramid. Photo: Dare-Dare.
The sample programme in Morocco
In Morocco, the two-day seminar is built around one night on site and an evening in the Agafay desert. The group's flight times decide the running order: we write the programme from the flights, not the other way round.
Day 1: arrive and work
- Morning: airport welcome, transfers, mint tea at the riad, rooms ready.
- Lunch: on the terrace of the riad or estate.
- 3:00 pm: plenary in a medina palace or an estate, with the technical side handled end to end.
- 5:30 pm: workshops in sub-groups.
- 8:00 pm: welcome dinner on a medina rooftop.
Day 2: decide, then the desert
- 9:30 am: synthesis workshop, decisions and owners.
- 12:30 pm: lunch.
- 3:00 pm: drive to the Agafay desert, team activity: a hike, an orienteering challenge or cooking over a fire.
- Evening: dinner in a tent, musicians, campfire; back to Marrakech or departure depending on flights.
The garden of the Dar el Bacha palace, Marrakech. Photo: R Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0.
To go further, read our 3-day seminar in Marrakech, our guide to a retreat in Morocco and our event agency in Marrakech. Agencies are compared in our 2027 ranking.
Paris or Morocco: how to choose
Paris suits a team already in the region, a tight travel budget or a diary that leaves only a day and a half. Morocco suits a team you want to pull away from daily routine: the change of scene does half the programme, with no time difference.
Morocco needs more logistics (group flights, transfers, accommodation), and that is our trade: we are our own DMC there. Both formats are prepared with the same method: a dedicated project lead, a day-by-day programme, a line-by-line quote.
The mistakes that sink a seminar
Too many plenaries and people switch off. Too many parties and they forget why they came. Our pacing rules are simple:
- Alternate a work session and an emotion session, never two plenaries in a row.
- Plan real free time, however short, in the middle of the first day.
- Do not end the evening too late when work resumes at 9:30 am.
- Plan diets, accessibility and an alternative to the main activity.
- Write a plan B for the weather and for the flights.
Our checklist before you start
- An objective in one sentence, shared with the whole team.
- A guest count, a date checked against the calendar and a budget given at the brief.
- One venue to work in and a different one for dinner.
- At most one plenary per half-day, workshops in between.
- Diets, accessibility, a plan B for the weather and for the flights.
- A dedicated project lead on site from the first welcome to the last departure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sample programme for a 2-day seminar?
Day 1: welcome, opening plenary, workshops, lunch, feedback and a dinner in a venue that stands out. Day 2: breakfast, synthesis workshop, lunch, team activity, closing and departure. In Morocco, the evening of day 2 is often spent in the Agafay desert.
How far ahead should you organise a 2-day seminar?
Allow 3 to 6 months, more for a large group, and 4 to 6 months for a seminar abroad. A shorter timeline is possible, with fewer venues to choose from.
Do you need an overnight stay for a 2-day seminar?
In Paris, no, except for participants from far away. In Morocco, yes: the seminar is built around one night on site and an evening in the desert.
When is the best time for a 2-day seminar in Morocco?
March to May and September to November, when days are mild. Check the dates of Ramadan, which change every year.
How many participants can a 2-day seminar host?
From a management committee to several hundred people. The format changes with the guest count: the larger the group, the more preparation transfers, rooms and catering need.
How much does a 2-day seminar cost?
The budget depends on the destination, the venue, the number of participants and the programme. We do not publish standard prices: we reply within 24 hours with an itemised, line-by-line quote.