Milan-Cortina 2026: Designing a Games Experience 

Creating a true Olympic Games experience for corporate guests and officials requires more than booking flights and hotels. Following Paris 2024, ATPI began preparing for Milan-Cortina 2026, developing tailored event programs that placed clients at the heart of the action. The experience combined VIP hospitality, live competition, and the energy of a global sports event, while delivering an authentic Italian atmosphere that guests will remember long after the Games. To understand how the program came together, we spoke with Karrel Cournoyer, Senior Manager and Team Lead in ATPI’s Events & Incentives division, who led the design and delivery of the Games program for an official sponsor. 

From early concepts to a fully refined program 

Karrel’s involvement in Milan-Cortina 2026 grew from a relationship built during previous Olympic Games, meaning the conversations began with a shared understanding rather than a blank page. “I already had a good sense of what mattered most to them, and we built the plans step by step together.” Work began more than a year in advance and evolved many times along the way. The first ideas came from ATPI’s local partners in Italy, then developed through client feedback, practical constraints, and lessons gathered during on-site visits. Each trip helped translate ambition into something guests would genuinely enjoy. While the client worked directly with Olympic stakeholders to secure accommodation, transport, and event access, ATPI focused on everything around the journey and the overall experience. Flights, daily schedules, activities, and carefully selected restaurants were planned to fit together naturally, allowing guests to absorb the atmosphere and enjoy the Games without thinking about the logistics behind it. 

Anticipating expectations during a Games experience 

Designing a tailored program for the Olympic Games presented unique challenges, particularly around availability. “The availability of activities and restaurants was the main challenge,” Karrel explained. “During an event like the Olympics, it can be difficult to get confirmations from providers, as many do not yet know whether they will open their venues to groups.” To manage this uncertainty, the team built flexibility into the planning process and maintained alternative options, ensuring quality was never compromised while still meeting the client’s expectations. 

How on-site visits shaped the experience 

Karrel travelled to Milan during the planning phase, using her visit to refine the program in practice. “The visit to Milan was mainly about inspiration and confirmation; we were still exploring options to see if the quality matched what we wanted to present,” she explained. A second visit by her team focused on validation, testing every element again with a mixed group of participants. “We confirmed most elements, but also removed some. When the quality wasn’t where we wanted it to be, we chose to remove an optional activity entirely.” Throughout the process, balance remained central. “We wanted guests to feel excited, not exhausted, so we limited travel time, varied activities, and left room to breathe.” With many participants being experienced travelers, the team prioritized authentic, high-quality experiences and distinctive dining rather than predictable options. 

On-site delivery during the Games 

During the Games, Karrel was on site to oversee delivery from arrival to departure. “I acted as the connector between everyone involved, making sure communication flowed between the client representatives, participants, and suppliers. I was also the guardian of the program, overseeing movements and ensuring everything happened as planned.” Her presence in Milan allowed ATPI to adapt quickly and resolve issues before they affected the guest experience. 

What made the trip unforgettable 

From Karrel’s perspective, the Olympic experience in Milan was not defined by organization alone, but by what guests felt once they arrived. “It starts with sport. Choosing events where Canadian athletes had a real chance of success created instant shared emotion; guests who had just met suddenly cheered together like old friends. That’s the magic of sport.” Small details mattered too. Remembering a guest’s favorite dessert and having it waiting in their room later could become just as memorable as the event itself. And then there were the surprises. “These guests have seen it all,” Karrel said. “Through local knowledge and research, the team looked for experiences that still caught people off guard; these are the moments guests talked about on the flight home, and long after. In the end, it wasn’t the schedules or the planning people remembered most, but the moments they shared while they were in Milan.”