Since the beginning, the GSF has called the Van der Valk Hotel in Utrecht home, welcoming the great and the good of the industry for three days and catering to every need. The hotel has served as the perfect backdrop for the forum, providing fantastic spaces for our plenary sessions, breakout areas for seminars, exceptional rooms for delegates, not to mention the first class catering and the ever popular closing-night party!
We caught up with two integral members of the Van der Valk team, Ina-Sila Vrolijk and Robert Stals, to hear a bit more about what it takes to host an event like the Global Shrimp Forum, and why our partnership has worked so well for the last 4 years.
Describe your role at GSF.
We’re Ina-Sila Vrolijk and Robert Stals, part of the Sales team at Van der Valk Hotel Utrecht. Ina-Sila takes care of all GSF overnight stays, while Robert focuses on meetings and the (culinary) side events.
What makes it extra fun? We’re both true food lovers at heart. Shrimp and all the delicious sides that come with it, fit perfectly into our world. Good food, great experiences and bringing people together.
How long have you been working with the GSF?
We’ve been involved with GSF from the very beginning, going all the way back to 2022.
What do you most enjoy about collaborating with the GSF team?
What we truly value is the great collaboration with Willem van der Pijl, and the constant drive to innovate and surpass each previous edition.
Our shared goal is simple: to ensure every guest enjoys the best possible experience during GSF in Utrecht.
What would you say makes the Global Shrimp Forum unique?
What we love most is the versatility and international flair of the event, along with the many moments during GSF to enjoy the beautiful product 'shrimp' in all its forms.
The fact that it all takes place in the most beautiful city in the Netherlands, Utrecht, makes it even more special.
On top of that, our collaboration with local partners turns GSF into a true celebration year after year!
What is a part of your role that you think goes unnoticed, but is vital in the delivery of the forum?
It’s all about the details, carefully guarding the little things to create a truly perfect stay for every guest.
For how long, ahead of the event in September, are you preparing?
Even before the current event kicks off, we’re already starting preparations for the next edition.
We’re celebrating our 5th anniversary this year. What have you enjoyed most about working with the team over the years?
Being critical together is key when it comes to developing GSF further. Bringing in new ideas, fresh concepts, and always raising the bar just that little bit higher (or even surpassing it). Every year, we genuinely look forward to the creative plans we’ve come up with together and bringing them to life in September. Looking back with satisfaction as a team is great... but in the end, we do it for the enthusiastic reactions from our guests. What makes it even more rewarding is that, during our annual evaluation, we carefully review guest feedback and use those insights to make the next edition even better and more successful. That’s what makes this collaboration not only so much fun, but truly valuable as well.
