Through the Rent a Village scheme, 11 villages in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can be hired for short-term events. Clients can temporarily name streets and squares, introduce a custom currency, reset clocks to their event’s timeframe, receive the key to the village from the mayor and have their logo carved into a mountain slope.
The village areas and buildings - including cowsheds, mines, fortresses, castles, mountain pastures and igloos - act as accommodation and venues for activities. Residents provide catering and entertainment such as brass bands and a torchlight procession when guests arrive.
Activites such as cabin hunts, ballooning and skiing are offered as well as traditional event formats like conferences and awards ceremonies.
Rent a Village is run by event professionals who say that it offers an alternative to the usual venues for corporate events. Holger Sigmund, a specialist at Rent a Village, said: "Rent a Village is an event concept which follows new paths. One does not go to a congress destination or a congress hotel but to a real village, which has a lot to do with genuineness and authenticity."
Companies like Peugeot and Price Waterhouse Coopers have already held events through the scheme.
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