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info@xmarksthespot.co.uk
 +44 (0)7801 693001
X Marks The Spot Ltd, 83 Fulwell Road, Teddington, M'ddx TW11 0RJ

What to consider when organising a treasure hunt

Buyer beware! Not all treasure hunts are the same and not all treasure hunt providers are the same. Plus, there’s much more to designing and running a treasure hunt-based event than many people realise.

Choose the wrong company to supply your treasure hunt or ask a well-meaning friend to 'put something together' and you could end up with an event being memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Here are the top 10 reasons why customers choose X Marks The Spot (click to expand each box). Feel free to use it as a checklist if you’re shopping around, and remember, caveat emptor!

Treasure hunt map
“Excellent!  The Treasure hunt was the perfect solution to our teambuild requirements.  We had clear goals –and X Marks The Spot consulted us on every detail from the concept through to all the arrangements on the day.   Everything went smoothly and all enjoyed the challenges that we were faced with in our teams. Even the weather – we had 4 seasons in one afternoon – didn’t dampen the spirit!”

Alex Hope
Sony (Adriatic region)
1.   Free honest advice - to help you choose an
     event that's right for you
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Put you first?
  • Work really hard to understand your group, your needs and requirements?
  • Listen?
  • Demonstrate insight, flexibility, practicality, experience and rationale when discussing what might and might not work for your group’s size, needs, preferences, ability, destination and budget?
  • Have staff who have management experience in a broad range of commercial, public sector and charity environments in the UK and overseas, and so who are able to put themselves in the corporate customer’s shoes?
  • Demonstrate an attention to detail and quality in their proposals and communications?
  • Support you in putting a case together to secure funding internally for your event?
  • Provide clear quotations and Service Level Agreements that state what the price is and what’s included in terms of service, facilities, equipment and staffing?
2.  Unrivalled experience and specialist skills in
     treasure hunt design
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Specialise in providing treasure hunts?
  • Design and write the treasure hunts themselves?
  • Produce custom-made treasure hunts based entirely on your needs - and so isn’t solely a one-trick-pony with a same format, one-size fits all, formulaic approach?
  • Provide a range of different styles and types of clues, as the best way to involve a wide range of participants with different needs?
  • Go out of the way to incorporate special requests?
  • Build in measures of success into the event if required?
  • Provide a choice of ready-made treasure hunts across the UK & Europe as an alternative to a custom-made event?
3.  In-depth destination knowledge
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Have a solid travel industry and hospitality background?
  • Really know the area you’ll be going to and the logistics of getting around?
  • Research and appreciate the culture, customs, history and nuances of your destination so you get an event that reflects these and not one that is solely based on what they saw on a quick walk around?
  • Have the ability to communicate with local people in their language?
  • Have partnerships and relationships with local tourist information offices and tour operators?
  • Keep abreast of local events or changes at the destination so they can advise you of good or poor times to visit, devise topical clues and ensure clues remain up-to- date?
  • Have the wherewithal and contacts to produce an event in a ‘new’ destination?
  • Maintain a good knowledge of flight and travel options, hotels, transfers, local transport and restaurants and have the ability to book these on your behalf if need be?
4.  Choice and flexibility
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Let you choose from custom-made and ready-made alternatives?
  • Personalise or brand the materials if preferred?
  • Devise clues specific to those taking part or theme the treasure hunt if desired?
  • Handle special requests?
  • Adapt the wording of cryptic clues so as not to put non-native English speakers at a disadvantage?
  • Provide multilingual versions of treasure hunts if necessary?
  • Offer events where you are not constrained to start at a particular point or time?
  • Offer you the option to run the treasure hunt yourself or leave it to them to manage?
5.  Event management by experienced and
    qualified professionals
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Have qualified project management professionals in-house who can work with you to plan your event and mitigate risks?
  • Have trained event management professionals in-house who are good with people and who can fully manage your event on the day if required, facilitate break-out sessions if needed, present professionally and calmly deal with issues as they arise?
6.  Insurance and peace of mind
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Have liability insurance?
  • Take adequate steps to put the safety of participants first, both in the design of the event and its management on the day?
  • Have an established track record of trading successfully, ideally over 10 years?
  • Have clear Terms & Conditions?
  • Agree a contract with you for the service to be provided?
  • Offer to put you in touch with previous clients?
7.  Deal direct
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Allow you to deal direct with them, so you can discuss products and destinations first hand and how treasure hunts might be customised to your needs?
  • Save you money by avoiding agent commissions?
8.  Easy to do business with
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Provide an informative and credible website?
  • Offer contact by email and phone?
  • Promptly and courteously respond to your enquiries?
  • Give you a single consistent point of contact?
  • Enable you to buy treasure hunts online, simply and securely?
  • Offer a choice of payment methods suitable for business and private clients?
  • Offer a choice of ways for you to receive your treasure hunt?
9.  Strong values and ethics
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Operate a privacy policy?
  • Actively consider green issues in operating their business and in their treasure hunt design?
  • Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, passion, flexibility, subject matter knowledge, can-do attitude, personal touch, reliability, quality and service?


10. Other happy customers
Does your treasure hunt provider:
  • Have evidence that their treasure hunts work - through an established client base, good feedback and repeat business?
Sony - one of X Marks The Spot's corporate clients
Lisbon treasure hunt