Art. #08 – Marta Caboni: the invisible excellence behind our MICE in Sardinia
Interview by Andrea Atzeri
Some people don’t look for the spotlight. They work one step behind it – where decisions are quieter, pressure is higher, and excellence is measured in details nobody should ever notice.
Marta Caboni is one of those people.
She started with us as a student intern in 2005 and today she coordinates FA Travel’s DMC division – right at the heart of our MICE operations.
And when we talk about international corporate events in Sardinia – the ones built on strict standards, complex logistics and zero margin for error – Marta’s mindset is a key part of what makes them possible.
This is her story, told with the honesty of someone who has lived the industry from the inside.
From 2005 to today: when an internship becomes a calling
Marta remembers her first days clearly: enthusiasm, curiosity, and a growing awareness that MICE would shape her future. She learned through real work – suppliers, event dynamics, teamwork – and step by step that internship became a path. A long one, built with experience, resilience, and constant training, all the way to her current role leading our DMC team.
A defining moment? Her first project managed independently: a major international event with attendees from multiple countries, complex logistics, and extremely high expectations. She still recalls the adrenaline – and the satisfaction of seeing everything run perfectly on schedule.
That’s when she understood she was ready for more.
German automotive standards: why nothing can be “left to chance”
When FA Travel launched in 2006, Marta became a key part of building our Sardinia DMC division, working on corporate events, incentive travel and product launches for German automotive brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, VW and ŠKODA.
The biggest challenge, she says, was blending two worlds:
- the German expectation of precision and efficiency,
- and Sardinia’s unique beauty – authentic, inspiring, but often logistically complex.
To deliver excellence, everything must be planned with “millimetric” care: transparent communication, punctuality, reliability, and processes designed to meet international standards.
What she calls her professional “legacy” is exactly that: a way of working that treats planning as respect.
Cultural empathy: learning to think like your client
For Marta, cultural empathy is not a nice-to-have. It’s a strategic skill.
It’s not only about speaking the language, but truly understanding how clients think, what they value, and what they consider “non-negotiable.” For the German market, reliability, consistency, punctuality, and sustainability are not preferences – they’re standards.
And that sensitivity grows through listening, real-world experience, and curiosity – asking the right questions before anyone else does.
That’s how a corporate event becomes a meaningful experience: coherent, respectful, and unforgettable.
The pause, the family, the return: lessons from the post-pandemic shift
In 2022, after the strain of Covid years, Marta chose to pause. It was personal and professional: she needed to recharge, be present with her family, and find a better balance – especially with two young children at home.
She returned in 2024, and in 2025 stepped into her current leadership role – not as “going back,” but as a conscious decision driven by renewed energy and a desire to help reshape an industry that now demands vision, resilience and authenticity.
She also highlights how the market changed: clients now ask for
- sustainability
- genuine local connection
- more flexibility than ever before
while still expecting high quality.
And FA Travel, in her words, is the tool to turn those challenges into growth, positioning Sardinia as a non-conventional MICE destination through a tailored, results-driven approach.
The skills that truly matter in Event Design
Today Marta leads a team, and the skills she considers essential are clear:
- strategic vision and commitment,
- relational ability and empathy,
- problem solving and adaptability.
Creativity matters – but it’s not the foundation. The foundation is how you think, communicate, and perform under pressure.
Marta’s advice to young professionals: training and curiosity
Her message to the next generation is direct: “Training isn’t optional – it’s necessary.” Not only technical learning, but personal growth too: soft skills, emotional intelligence, leadership. Since 2019, she has planned at least one course per year to keep learning and to find balance.
And then: curiosity. Because in tourism – and especially in MICE and Event Design – curiosity is what pushes you to improve, to understand people, and to deliver that “extra detail” that changes everything.
Her strongest lesson? Real excellence is built in what nobody sees: late-night briefings, dawn phone calls to confirm a transfer, the empathy shown to a struggling supplier, and the obsessive care of details that the audience won’t notice – but will feel.
That’s Marta. Invisible excellence – made tangible.
Andrea Atzeri
The author
Andrea Atzeri is CEO of FA Travel, a MICE and luxury travel company with offices in Cagliari and Olbia, Sardinia, and the author of Appunti di Famiglia. He designs corporate events, incentives and tailor-made journeys across the island, with an approach built on lasting relationships and a deep knowledge of the territory.
FAQ
What does MICE mean?
MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions—corporate events and business travel.
Why choose Sardinia for a corporate event or incentive trip?
Because it combines outstanding scenery, hospitality, and the ability to create truly local, tailor-made experiences.
What skills are most important in Event Design?
Strategic vision, empathy, problem solving, adaptability and continuous training.