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An Expert’s Guide to Planning Incentive Travel

Incentive travel management is one of Paragon Events’ many areas of expertise and also one of our team’s favorite types of events to facilitate! The following tips will help produce an incentive program that suits your budget, reflects your company culture, and produces favorable ROI.

WHAT ARE YOUR INCENTIVE TRAVEL PROGRAM GOALS?

Outline your incentive travel budget & objectives.

The first step in planning an incentive trip is to clearly establish and define your goals. This will help you to identify the target audience within your company. Once you determine the departments or key positions to incentivize, you can create internal qualification guidelines. This will also help you better measure your actual ROI later on. From experience, our clients often consider the following top objectives:

• Increased sales
• Increased productivity
• Improved customer service
• Lower turnover and absenteeism

Identifying some of these goals may also help to generate your program budget. How much is turnover costing your organization annually? Once winners meet the goals of the competition, how is that going to influence an increase in your overall sales revenue? Identifying these factors can help you delineate where to set your budget.

Generate Interest and Track Performance

• Create engaging event branding to entice employees
• Hold a grand unveiling of the destination and qualification requirements ( Do this early to build anticipation and excitement! )
• Maintain a schedule of internal communication to promote the trip and encourage employees to embrace the challenge

The key is to keep your employees engaged and competing to win!

Incentive Travel Risk Management

For any event, risk management plans are a necessity. As industry leaders in risk and crisis management, Paragon Events assists our clients in developing emergency preparedness plans for their incentive programs. We recommend several health and safety measures throughout the event planning to ensure a smooth program flow. These include insurance, security, communication plans, destination research, and documentation of protocol for specific locations and venues.

MAKE YOUR INCENTIVE TRIP WORTHWHILE

Destination and partner selection.

Destination appeal is an important factor in holding your team’s motivation high. When selecting your incentive trip destination, there are several factors to keep in mind:

• Value of your currency. Will you be able to get enough bang for your buck? Are you traveling nationally or internationally? Southeast Asia and New Orleans are current examples of great locations where your money will go a long way!
• Tax benefits. Some destinations have little to no sales tax (Langkawi in Malaysia is one of our favorites!)
• Hotel loyalty. Does your company receive perks from a certain hotel brand for business travel? Member points can be a bonus for your attendees.
• Travel experience. It’s important to examine the safety and infrastructure of your destination. Consider the general activity level for attendees and make sure to distribute strong, travel guidelines.

Once in a Lifetime Experiences

Creating highly memorable and authentic experiences is what incentive travel is all about. Trips build lasting memories, improve workplace camaraderie, and provide tangible experiences more valuable than money or cash bonuses. Paragon Events strives to provide options to our clients that are unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Picture this:

• Swimming with whale sharks in the Maldives
• Racing dragon boats in Malaysia
• Sleeping in glass igloos under the northern lights in Finland
• Experiencing breathtaking vistas of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe on a train journey
• Celebrating the full moon rise on the shores of Western Australia
• Catching a Giant Tuna off the coast of Nova Scotia

Currently, a trend we are seeing is allowing guests to select their activities in smaller groups to create a more personalized experience. This is a great opportunity to incorporate activities focused on wellness and social responsibility as well.

Immerse in Local Culture

• Share naturally-sourced gifts and artisan products such as custom-tailored traditional outfits
• Hire local musicians, artisans, and performers as entertainment to showcase historical styles
• Incorporate local and regional delicacies into food and beverage menus

Think beyond the big box hotels and popular tourism sites (this is the secret to finding hidden gems in any destination!).

MEASURE YOUR INCENTIVE TRAVEL SUCCESS

Hard dollar and soft power benefits.

Increased sales and productivity are major benefits of hosting an incentive program. There are several other benefits for your organization—some of which may be surprising. Take a look:

• Improved employee engagement
• Positive relationship building between employees and management
• Enhanced customer satisfaction
• Increased mindshare in the marketplace
• Greater ability to recruit new employees and partners
• Stronger brand compliance

The value of these benefits must be carefully considered and held in high regard. While hard dollars are very important, engagement, growth, and overall employee satisfaction can be defining factors for your organization.

ROI Calculation Methods

The purpose of holding incentive programs is to achieve certain internal goals whether they are direct, implied, or both. That means it is paramount to be able to look back and report on proven results. There are several ways that we ensure our clients are truly calculating their return on investment:

• Net income margin/incentive investment
• Incremental sales year over year
• Employee satisfaction measurement
• Client satisfaction measurement
• Executive and winners post-event survey

Aside from the subjective employee benefits, the financial payoff for companies as a result of incentive travel is undeniable. A report by Oxford Economics USA found that for every dollar invested in business travel, companies realize $12.50 in incremental revenue.

It Doesn’t End Onsite

Incentive programs have boundless benefits for an organization. Let us put these tools into action and build a successful initiative that you and your employees will look forward to each year. Reach out to our team to learn how incentive travel can enhance your company goals.

This blog has been authored by Diane Ambrogio .

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Incentive Travel with Bolder Experiences and Better Results

Your incentive travel program matters. It helps your company hit its sales target. It convinces top performers to stay. And all that hinges on one thing: an incentive trip that inspires action. (No pressure, right?!)

We’re experts at making incentive travel do more (hey, we’ve had more than 60 years to master our craft!). We design and deliver bold, unforgettable experiences that motivate salespeople, drive growth, and build the kind of employee loyalty that is rare these days.

We’re here for whatever you need before, during and after the trip. Our incentive travel services include:

Program Design & Campaign Communications

Design an event that wows. Then build excitement, so winners are counting down the days to your trip.

Sourcing & Contracting

You know your winners, and we know the best places. We’ll find you the right hotel and negotiate on your behalf.

Registration & Ticketing

Make registration, hotel booking and airline ticketing easy and painless for your winners.

On–Site Support

Add on-site resources to make sure you’re prepared for everything: from little disruptions to major emergencies.

Our Approach to Designing Incentive Travel

We get that incentive travel programs look different from company to company. That’s why we structure our incentive travel approach to serve your team best. Your goals become our goals and your vision our vision. And, we don’t guess at what works — we use behavioral and data science to guide our recommendations.

We can also help refresh your incentive travel program, since even the best trip can lose its impact for repeat winners who have “seen it all.”

Through this perfect mix of personal engagement and scientific insights, we create standout incentive trips that motivate your top performers (and make you look good in the process!).

Our Incentive Travel Program Services

Your incentive travel program is important, and how you plan for it might change year–to–year. We understand that different trips might mean different needs — and we can adjust to meet them.

From delivering a comprehensive incentive travel program to managing trip communications, we’ve done it all. Our motto? Whatever you need we can handle! That’s why we structure our services to serve you best.

Learn how to use incentive travel to transform your sales efforts!

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Elevate Your Group Travel Experience: Incentive Travel Company vs. Travel Agency

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Ultimate Guide to Incentive Travel Planning for Corporate Events

by J.Shay Team | May 24, 2024 | Incentive Travel

Ready to elevate your company’s performance with incentive travel planning? This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to create memorable experiences and effectively persuade your leadership to invest in incentive travel.

Table of Contents

Why Incentive Travel is Important for Your Business

Incentive travel has surged in popularity, with over 85% of US firms now leveraging it as a motivational tool, up from 25% in 1996. According to the Incentive Research Foundation, companies spend a median of $4,000 per person on Presidents Club trips, with 40% of firms spending upwards of $8,000. Globally, 65% of firms are expanding their incentive travel programs.

Why Travel Over Cash?

Incentive travel produces a higher ROI than cash rewards. People tend to spend cash on mundane expenses, whereas travel experiences are cherished and shared, leading to greater motivation and loyalty.

Top Companies Leverage Incentive Travel to Boost Sales

The top 20% of companies are twice as likely to use non-cash incentives. Experiential rewards generate lasting memories and are more likely to be discussed and appreciated, driving higher engagement and performance.

Key Considerations for Planning Incentive Travel

Start planning at least a year in advance. Announce the destination at your annual sales kickoff to build excitement.

Show Gratitude

Choose high-quality destinations, hotels, activities, and gifts to show appreciation. A memorable trip reinforces loyalty and motivates all staff.

Sign the Hotel Contract First

Ensure the hotel contract is signed before announcing the destination to avoid complications.

Include Bells and Whistles

Provide comprehensive packages, including fine dining, activities, and gifts. Make sure your guests are taken care of from start to finish.

Balance Work and Leisure

Limit work functions to give employees ample leisure time while including essential group activities and ceremonies.

On-Site Staff is Essential

Have knowledgeable staff on-site to handle any questions or issues, ensuring smooth execution of the event.

The key to a successful incentive trip is to plan, negotiate, and sign contracts early. This ensures a clear outline and prevents embarrassing hiccups. Ready to plan your next corporate incentive trip? Contact us today to start creating unforgettable experiences that drive performance and loyalty.

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J.Shay Team is the generic alias for our event staff that want to submit work anonymously.

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UPGRADE YOUR INCENTIVE TRAVEL

Retain talent and inspire growth..

Incentive trips aren't just expensive celebrations.

They're a key way to motivate your team and hit business objectives.

In fact, 65% of employees surveyed strongly agree that they remember travel and merchandise rewards longer than cash payments.

Incentive travel offers a unique opportunity to connect with your top and new employees, celebrate their hard work, and inspire them for the year to come.

In a competitive labor market and challenging sales environment, incentive travel could be the secret to business growth.

GoGather manages your incentive program from A → Z

GoGather does more than just check off tasks for your incentive travel program. We make sure the full experience, from invites to activities to departures, is seamless and fun for the attendees.

Incentive travel that engages & motivates.

GoGather ensures your incentive travel program hits your goals while maintaining the bottom line.

With GoGather as your go-to event planning partner, you'll benefit from:

• Strong relationships with unique properties and luxury hotels
• A dedicated project manager that has your best interests in mind
• Creative travel incentives  that elevate your trip and hit business goals
• Branding, gifting, activities, and more, to make your guests feel like celebrities

Awe-inspiring trips for your team.

" One week after returning from 2023 President's Club in Los Cabos, Mexico , I've been flooded with inquiries from friends and colleagues asking about my experience. It's difficult to put into words just how extraordinary it was – beyond anything I could have imagined.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire event team for orchestrating this world-class experience. From the breathtaking Four Seasons resort and the delightful dinner events to the exhilarating sea activities and the daily surprise gifts, every aspect contributed to making the 2023 President's Club an unforgettable and awe-inspiring journey."

Where are you heading next?

Create unforgettable experiences.

Your incentive travel program should be a crafted experience that's more than just a pretty location. We'll help you put together a trip from start to finish that inspires your team to hit their sales targets year after year.

Moments to celebrate & inspire.

From the time they step off the plane to every moment in between, GoGather makes sure your team gets the VIP experience.

Boat arrivals that are usually only reserved for celebrities? We can make that happen.

Moments to connect.

Moments to entertain.

Whether it's kayaking through Kantun Chi or wine tasting in the French Riviera, GoGather sources fun and unique activities that your guests will rave about for years to come.

We'll make sure these events are not just your standard team-bonding activities, but give your guests a taste of the local culture.

Moments to give back.

Connect with the local community through volunteering events that emulate your brand mission and leave the world just a bit better.

Science kits for a local school provided by a biotech company? We'll do the coordination.

Moments to indulge.

Go beyond the water bottle with unique and locally-sourced incentive travel gifts that your team will actually leave room in their suitcase for.

Plus, tie your gifts back to your brand with small touches like personalized postcards.

Moments that matter.

Reinforce your brand in elegant ways throughout your event. From pillows to lighted branding on the side of buildings, your incentive travel program can leave your guests feeling more connected than ever to your company.

Our in-house experts can help you find creative ways to leave your brand mark throughout the incentive travel program, including custom logo creation.

Let's plan your next incentive trip.

Top incentive travel destinations..

Our team has exceptional relationships with gorgeous properties internationally, giving your team the chance to experience luxury while sticking to your budget.

Our clients' favorite locations for their incentive programs include:

Everything you need for exceptional incentive travel.

Connect your team and inspire top performers with a trip of a lifetime.

GoGather takes care of all the logistics for your incentive travel program, from finding the ideal location to creating small moments that make a difference.

We're here to help you plan a trip that's not only fun, but that celebrates, inspires, and ultimately reaffirms your team's loyalty to your brand.

Let's start planning your incentive program.

More insights for planning., sample company retreat agenda: florida keys, host your next incentive trip at the four seasons tamarindo, 8 conference workshop ideas to elevate your next event, event management vs. destination management companies.

Incentive Travel

What is incentive travel? How are incentive programs, trips, and events different from conference and meeting planning? In this section we'll look at the definition of incentive travel, including: examples of incentive travel programs, how to become an incentive travel planner, an incentive travel planner job description, career advice, employment information, and the pros and cons of being an incentive travel planner in this sector of the events industry.

A guide to incentive travel programs; definitions, descriptions, and examples.

Careers in Incentive Travel / Destination Management

Why become an incentive travel planner or destination manager? Career advice and employment information.

Being an Incentive Travel Planner

What does an incentive travel planner do? Read a real incentive travel planner job description by Martin Turner, former Director of Travel, International Travel Group, and former Global Head of Events, Credit Suisse .

Pros and Cons of Incentive Travel

Pros and cons of incentive travel by Martin Turner, former Director of Travel, International Travel Group, and former Global Head of Events, Credit Suisse .

Being a Destination Manager

What does a destination manager do? Read a real destination manager job description by Jennifer Miller, Partner and President, ACCESS Destination Services .

Pros and Cons of Destination Management Careers

Pros and cons of destination management careers by Jennifer Miller, Partner and President, ACCESS Destination Services .

MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions

Although the content of an incentive travel program is very different to other types of meetings—in that the emphasis is on entertainment, activities, and socializing—the event planning process is very similar. Meetings and incentive programs both involve location planning, destination management, co-ordinating travel and accommodation, and creating a program of supporting events.

Meeting planners often find themselves working on a mix of meetings, conferences, and incentive travel programs, and in doing so will often call upon the services of a destination manager at a DMC (Destination Management Company). Destination managers are a type of event planner who offers local knowledge and resources to meeting planners in order to help deliver events in a particular region

What Is Incentive Travel?

Incentive travel is the reward element of an incentive, recognition, or loyalty program, which takes the form of an all-expenses paid trip with a program of scheduled events and activities.

Incentive Programs

Incentive, recognition, and loyalty programs (from here on referred to as just ‘incentive programs’) are used by companies as a motivational tool to achieve certain business objectives, for example to increase sales.

Participants—which might be the company’s employees, distributors / re-sellers, or customers—usually have to qualify by achieving a certain level of performance, pre-defined by the terms of the incentive program, e.g. achieving pre-set sales targets.

Those that meet the relevant criteria are then rewarded by taking part in the incentive travel trip (sometimes referred to as the ‘award’). These are usually group trips with a set itinerary where all those qualifying take part in the same program of events and activities, however individual incentive trips are also used by some companies.

Incentive Trips/Awards

To fulfill the award, the company will use some form of event / meeting planner to co-ordinate the trip and design the itinerary, including all travel arrangements, accommodation, receptions, dinners, activities, excursions, entertainment, and special events.

Often, this will involve the meeting planner hiring a Destination Management Company (DMC), located in the city where the event is being held, to assist them in booking and managing local elements, such as restaurants, venues, transport, staffing, production, décor, entertainment, activities, and excursions.

Incentives are a very effective way to drive sales. An incentive program might be aimed at a company’s employees i.e. the sales team, or its distributors / re-sellers.

For example, a car manufacturer might create an incentive program for its dealers, whereby they have to meet a certain sales target each month. At the end of the term of the program, a year perhaps, those that made the required amount of sales will be rewarded by coming together with management executives, and the other qualifying dealers, to attend the award trip.

This might consist of a three-day trip to Monte Carlo during the Monaco Grand Prix with a cocktail reception on a yacht, a private dinner at the world famous casino, followed by leisure activities and excursions such as sailing, wine tastings, golf, or a private tour of The Prince’s Palace.

Rewards and Recognition

Group travel can also be used as part of an employee reward and recognition program. Whereas incentive programs aim to inspire or influence someone’s efforts, the purpose of rewards and recognition programs are to reinforce certain behaviors.

A qualifying employee may be deemed to be improving customer service, living the corporate values, or meeting productivity goals. A company might create a group travel program ‘award’ as a way to engage with their employees, recognize performance, and reward top achievers.

The format is similar to those held for sales incentives in that, as a reward, the emphasis is on leisure activities, excursions, group dinners, and receptions. It might be a trip to Sir Richard Branson’s private game resort, Ulusaba Lodge in South Africa, with a program that includes safaris, hot air balloon rides, helicopter tours over canyons, and outdoor dinners and receptions with the finest African cuisine.

Employee Motivation

For example, in addition to various dinners and leisure activities, one company’s program included a team building session called ‘Helping Hands’ where employees were given a box of parts and an instruction booklet. Working as a team they had to assemble an object, which later transpired to be a prosthetic hand, which was then given to a land mine victim who had lost their hand.

Customer Loyalty

Another variation of an incentive program is when group travel is used to reward customer loyalty and repeat business. I have actually been on the receiving end on an incentive program organized by the parent company of a group of event industry suppliers.

The parent company owns a caterer, a venue finding company, a staffing agency, and a technical production company—amongst others. They have an incentive program whereby their customers, event companies such as my own, Left Field Productions , have their annual spend with any of the parent company’s businesses converted into points. Once a certain amount of points is accrued, my company qualifies for between one and three places on a group travel ‘award’.

One year this included a three-day trip to Portofino, Italy, where we stayed in the luxurious Hotel Splendido, which sits on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean and is frequented by celebrities such as Madonna, George Clooney, and Elizabeth Taylor.

The ‘incentive travel program’ is what, up until now, we have been referring to as the ‘award’; it’s the reward element of the entire ‘incentive program’. Among event planners however, the ‘award’ is generally referred to as the ‘incentive travel program’ or just the ‘travel program’. It’s not really regarded as an event, because it’s usually a lot more than that; it’s a program of events and activities over several days or even a week.

Incentive Program

The ‘incentive program’ is the entire scheme that leads up to and includes the ‘award’. The ‘incentive program’ might start up to a year in advance, often it’s unveiled at the end of the current program—perhaps at an awards dinner on the final evening—in order to build excitement.

The incentive program is often unveiled on the final night of the previous year’s incentive travel program.

Teaser Campaign

‘Teasers’ are sent out to participants to build anticipation of the official launch. For example, if the destination is going to be a beach resort, then a flip-flop might be sent to each participant with a cryptic clue attached. Promoting an incentive is all about building excitement, so often the way it is communicated needs to be creating and engaging.

Official Announcement

Official announcement, information packs, and enrolment kits are sent out for participants to ‘sign up’ to the incentive program. These packs will outline the terms and conditions of the program, with information on what is required to qualify, for example defining sales targets.

Qualification period

During this period, which could last up to a year, participants are required to meet the pre-defined criteria that would enable them to qualify for the award, for example hitting sales targets.

Mid-Program Motivation

More teasers and reminders will usually be sent out over the course of the qualifying period to encourage the participants to meet the necessary criteria.

Qualifiers Announced

Qualifiers or ‘winners’ announced. In some cases, physical trophies or other gifts are handed out at this stage, in advance of the actual ‘award’ trip. Shortly after, travel arrangements will be communicated to the qualifiers.

Guests might travel separately from different locations or, alternatively, group travel arrangements will be made where everybody takes the same flight together.

Upon arrival in the destination city, participants might be greeted at the airport by local representatives, before transferring to their hotels. Often the creative elements of the program start here.

For example, when I attended an incentive program in Monaco, we were flown from London to Nice, South of France, and had expected to be driven on to our hotel in Monte Carlo. However, on arrival in Nice, we discovered a series of helicopters had been laid on to transfer us the rest of the way.

Hotel Check-In

Participants are then greeted at the hotel, checked in, and have some time to settle in before the evening’s welcome dinner. Typically a welcome pack and gift is often left in room.

Welcome cocktail reception. An opportunity for everyone to meet and network, perhaps on a private terrace at the hotel, possibly with live entertainment from musicians and performers. Usually the meeting planner will add in a few extra creative touches to make the reception a little more special, such as a wine or tequila tasting.

Open-air dinner in the hotel’s private gardens overlooking the sea, possibly with after-dinner entertainment and/or some speeches from the hosts. Often the first evening’s dinner is held ‘on-site’ at the hotel as people are tired from travelling.

After-Dinner Drinks

Often, on the first night, this is just informal after-dinner drinks in the hotel bar as most people are tied from travelling. However, depending on the group, there might be cigars and cognac laid on, or a private lounge area with cocktails.

Breakfast at the hotel, perhaps followed by an informal meeting or presentation regarding upcoming activities.

Excursion to local attractions, sightseeing, and shopping. These might be cultural activities or the opportunity to take part in authentic ‘real life’ experiences typical of the location—such as exploring the Hutong area of Beijing by bicycle and having tea with locals in their homes.

Group lunch at a restaurant or special venue. Again, this is an opportunity for the meeting planner to get creative perhaps by obtaining access to a venue or location that's typically not accessible to the general public—such as lunch on a movie set or in private rooms at a royal palace.

Afternoon of leisure activities, which depending on the group, might be traditional activities, such as golf or a spa day. Alternatively, it could be more unusual activities like cage diving with sharks or bulldozer adventure playground days. Often, the meeting planner will try to obtain some sort of unique or VIP access, such as getting to kick around footballs with a professional team and star players at their local stadium.

Reception and Dinner

The second day's evening cocktail reception and dinner typically takes place ‘off-site’ at a restaurant or private venue, usually with entertainment. Again this might involve some sort of unusual venue, such as a USO themed event on a real naval base.

Nightclub / Casino

Option to continue on to a local nightclub/casino.

Breakfast at the hotel, perhaps followed by an informal meeting.

Excursion / Activities

More leisure activities, trips, or opportunity to experience local culture. Depending on the group, this could be anything from cave tours, to zero gravity flights at a NASA training facility, to private backstage tours of a Broadway show and an opportunity to meet the cast.

Group lunch at a restaurant or special venue.

Team Building

Team building / experiential activity—sometimes with a connection to the local community or a charity. This might be building a park in the desert for a children's home or the Helping Hand's activity mentioned previously where the group make prosthetic hands to be given to land mine victims who've lost their hand

Dinner/Dance/Awards

Cocktail reception, gala dinner, awards ceremony, and dancing ‘off-site’ at a private venue. Next year's destination/incentive program revealed.

Breakfast at hotel.

Check-out / transfers

Hotel check-out, transfers to airport.

Group lunch at a restaurant or special venue en route to airport

Return flight home

Obviously, this format only outlines the bare bones of a travel program. The challenge for the event planner is in making these programs as creative and engaging as possible—especially when you have to create something new and different every year.

The destination, accommodation, and activities might be amazing in their own right. For example, a three night trip to Hawaii with an itinerary that includes a sunset cocktail cruise, a private dinner on the beach, activities such as surfing, golf, waterfall hikes, hula lessons, and stargazing treks. It might also include excursions to the Diamond Head volcanic crater and Pearl Harbor, before a closing dinner and awards ceremony on the final night.

However, a good planner will make sure they include some extra special moments, private access to people and places, or exclusive experiences that the guests could not create themselves—either through lack of financial resources, local knowledge, contacts, or even imagination.

New Orleans

One leading incentive travel company created a trip to New Orleans for one of its clients, a Fortune 500 company. In addition to the usual 5 star accommodation and the finest local cuisine, the company added some extra touches to make the trip even more special. These included a private parade along Bourbon Street, followed by a dinner on the field of the Superdrome—where they were greeted by a marching band with their names circling on the ribbon board and their photos on the Jumbotron. They even had the chance to toss a few footballs around the pitch.

The following day, to connect with the local community, the group spent the afternoon planting trees and bushes at a newly rebuilt elementary school, which had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The playground and the landscaping that the group contributed to were the final touches to the redevelopment that had been seven years in the making.

Whether it’s providing exclusive access to something not readily available to the public, taking part in authentic ‘real life’ experiences typical of the local culture, or giving something back by connecting with the local community, those moments create memories that go far beyond being a business trip or vacation—and is what makes incentive travel work as a motivational tool.

REFERENCES 1. Anatomy of a Successful Incentive Travel Program White Paper, Melissa Van Dyke, Incentive Research Foundation

Why become an inventive travel planner or destination manager? Career advice and employment information.

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The complete guide for incentive trips for employees

Top 7 incentive travel companies, what is an incentive travel company, benefits of using a travel incentive company, utilizing established supplier networks, expert destination knowledge, managing on-site logistics, cost optimization, risk management and mitigation, measuring and evaluating the trip’s success, 1. travelperk.

• Over 25,000 negotiated rates on hotels when booking with TravelPerk
• A concierge team to suggest once-in-a-lifetime activities and book pre-paid restaurants for your stay.
• Access to a 24-hour customer service line for all attendees, where a team of real people is on hand to answer any questions.
• VAT recovery reports can help you save up to 20% on incentive trip costs.
• Improved compliance with travel policies baked into the platform.
• The ability to pay, report, and invoice all company travel with just one account.

See how to save your company time and money on business travel

2. ita group.

• Expertise in destination management.
• Immersive brand experiences.
• Concierge air travel.
• Risk management and traveler safety services.
• Pre- and post-analytics for insights into the trip’s success.

3. Maritz Global Events

• Travel program design and campaign communications.
• Sourcing and contracting hotels and venues.
• Simplified registration and ticketing.
• On-site support and coordination.

4. Creative Group

• Customized group incentive travel programs tailored to a business’s specific goals, preferences, and budgets.
• Relationships with hotels, independent properties, destination management companies, airlines, and transportation companies.
• Mobile apps, interactive platforms, and digital tools provide attendees with real-time information, engagement opportunities, and personalized communication.

5. BI Worldwide

• An event management app that engages attendees before, during, and after trips.
• Destination selection and management.
• Planning unique excursions, team-building exercises, and exclusive events.
• On-site event management services.
• Data analytics and reporting tools to measure the performance and impact of group incentive travel programs.

6. Cadence Travel

• Customized incentive travel programs according to requirements and preferences.
• A dedicated trip planner that acts as a single point of contact for all trip-related operations.
• Hotel sourcing, negotiating, and contracting specialists.
• On-site staffing for logistical support.
• Attendee travel monitoring to ensure duty of care.

7. Brightspot

• Customized sales incentive programs to help drive performance improvement and sales engagement.
• Incentive trip planning.
• Integrated engagement campaigns.
• Incentive software platform to help companies manage their incentive travel programs.

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15 Corporate Incentive Travel Program Tips

By: Angela Robinson | Updated: May 01, 2023

You found our list of the best corporate incentive travel program tips !

Corporate incentive travel programs are initiatives that offer all-expenses paid trips and experiences in exchange for extraordinary performance. For example, a trip to Thailand or Mexico. These programs aim to motivate employees and raise morale, loyalty, and productivity.

Travel incentive programs are one example of employee incentives and employee engagement ideas , and can be a popular employment benefit .

This article includes:

• incentive travel examples
• incentive trips for employees
• group travel incentive programs
• corporate incentives besides travel

Here is the list!

Incentive travel examples

When it comes to destinations and trip experiences, possibilities are endless. Here are a few examples of incentive travel programs to give you inspiration:

• A stay in the British countryside complete with castle tours
• A food tour through Italy or France, or through your home city
• Museum crawl through New York City
• Hotel and tickets to a Broadway or West End show
• A Seine River expedition through Germany
• Weeklong country-hopping tour
• Hiking excursion in the mountains
• Wildlife interaction at a sanctuary
• Wine country visits
• Behind the scenes tour of a nearby brewery
• Weekend stay at a local bed and breakfast
• Tropical beach escape
• Historical tour of a prominent city
• Hot air balloon rides
• Passes and accommodation to a cultural festival
• Company cruises
• Glamping or camping
• Team building retreats

The items on this list provide a solid baseline for program structures, but there are many possibilities for irresistible trips that will drive employees to perform at their best.

Corporate incentive travel program tips

From soliciting suggestions from staff to leveraging social media, here are the steps for creating an effective corporate incentive travel program.

1. Ask your staff for ideas

A travel program is only an incentive if your staff wants to take the trips you choose. Instead of outright guessing, or stealthily scanning your staff’s Instagram vacation posts, ask your staff for destination and activity ideas.

First, gather plausible options for countries, cities, accommodations, excursions, and activities. Then, distribute a survey, and use the feedback to inform your selections. Consider including a write-in option on your questionnaire so employees can point you towards any useful travel resources or discount programs.

2. Determine the goal of your program

The point of an incentive program is to achieve a particular result or encourage a certain behavior. Thus, when designing your incentive trips for employees, it is important to outline the goal.

Corporate incentive travel program objectives may include:

• Specific sales targets
• Increased client satisfaction scores
• Decrease in paperwork errors
• Shorter customer wait times
• Quicker production turnaround time

The goal of the program may include multiple aims, and targets may vary by position or department.

Trips are a significant investment, and organizations expect a worthwhile return on such a weighty investment. By outlining clear goals when introducing the program, you justify the expenditure and link the reward to a clear result.

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3. Provide clear guidelines to staff

Higher management are not the only parties that benefit from having accurate expectations for the program. When announcing the initiative, provide clear guidelines to the staff so employees understand how to earn the rewards. For best results, communicate the necessary targets, performance period timeline, methods of measurement, and ultimate prizes.

You may also want to mention:

• The level of date flexibility for trips. Can attendees choose from multiple months or weekends, or will there only be one date for the trip? If the latter, then disclose the date upfront.
• Whether or not family members and guests can join the trips.
• Included amenities vs add-on options.
• Accommodations the company can make for staff with special circumstances.

Misunderstanding requirements could lead to staff missing out on the opportunity, causing disappointment. Employees want to feel that managers are upfront and honest, and clear communication fosters trust.

4. Consult a travel expert

Corporate travel programs require a great deal of planning and logistics management. Coordinating such a program alone can feel overwhelming, but travel and events companies that specialize in running incentive programs can simplify the process.

Here are some recommended travel incentive companies:

• American Express Meetings & Events
• Creative Group Inc.
• First Incentive Travel
• Peak Performance Meetings & Incentives
• Bishop McCann
• Bi Worldwide
• Fox World Travel
• Maritz Global Events
• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing
• World Travel Inc

Even if you decide not to hire a third-party vendor to manage incentive trips, consider consulting a travel agent or other professional who has experience planning and executing group trips. If nothing else, then read HR blogs for advice. You do not need to reinvent the wheel; you can rely on the guidance of professionals who have seen success with incentives to shape your program.

5. Research multiple vendors

While destination management companies often advertise packages that remove the hassle from corporate travel planning, these all-inclusive offerings are not always the best options for your needs. Working with multiple event providers may be a more cost-effective solution that results in better experiences for your employees.

Consider branching out and enlisting different companies for transportation, accommodations, catering, and experiences such as museum tours or adventure sports outings. At minimum, research and compare multiple destination management companies to ensure you find the best deal and optimal level of service.

6. Negotiate exclusives

Most travel incentive companies work with organizations to create tailored, customized plans. When designing trips, securing exclusive amenities and activities can make the experience even more attractive. For instance, booking an illustrious restaurant for a private party with a special menu, or receiving an after-hours, behind-the-scenes tour of a historical site with an expert. Planning experiences that attendees cannot replicate during personal visits makes the experience feel more unique, which compels employees to work harder to secure their spots on the trip.

7. Use organizational resources

While a travel incentive trip differs from a business trip, branches in other geographical regions can be a great help to your planning process. Offices in other states or countries might be able to make an introduction to a contact such as a travel coordinator, local guide, restaurateur, or hospitality professional that can help you coordinate your trip. You might even take advantage of special corporate discounts or offerings thanks to your relationship with the sister site.

Even if your organization does not have locations worldwide, you may employ a teammate who has previously worked, traveled, or lived in your destination and can offer recommendations. Tapping into your company’s internal resources improves the journey.

8. Stick to a budget

Travel programs are rarely low-cost perks. Expenses like transportation, accommodation, meals, and entertainment add up quickly, even if your group remains local. While increases in worker output and performance often justify the price of the program, it is still important to stick to a budget to ensure a balanced return on investment.

Researching beforehand helps avoid overspending. Before you commit to a destination or travel package, ensure you understand the total cost, including any additional expenditures such as insurance, service fees, non-included meals, transportation between venues, and tips for service staff.

Remember that if employees show interest in pricey experiences that the company cannot cover, then you can compensate by scheduling free time and allowing attendees to purchase optional activities.

Here is a list of ways to spend your budget at year-end .

9. Be liberal with options

Your group is a diverse bunch with a wide range of interests. One employee’s dream trip might not be another’s. To guarantee that all travelers enjoy the experience, arrange an array of activities that suit many tastes. For example, plan a bar crawl one evening and an open mic the next. Or, give attendees the choice between wine tasting, rock climbing, or touring a museum.

When planning activities, keep in mind:

• Physical ability
• Level of socialization
• Dietary needs
• Non-alcoholic options for non-drinkers
• Price, if members pay out of pocket
• Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity

Keep these considerations in mind not only when planning activities, but also when booking trip details. For instance, steer clear of destinations with recent human rights violations or recent racial tensions in favor of diverse and inclusive locations where all guests feel welcome.

10. Focus on the experience more than the destination

While the ability to travel to a foreign country or a lively city is a major draw, the location is not as important as your team’s overall happiness. Instead of fixating on the destination, focus on the experience. You do not need to pick a flashy locale to garner interest in the program. Attendees can have fun in a neighboring town or an off-the-beaten-path destination if you plan meaningful and engaging activities.

When choosing a venue for your trip, explore unconventional options and open yourself to interesting possibilities. Aim to connect your staff meaningfully with the local culture and with each other. Keep an eye out for experiences unique to your host city, and aim to be travelers rather than simply tourists. In essence, unlock the full potential of each city, neighborhood, or business instead of relying on the allure of the destination to do the heavy lifting.

11. Offer resources and assistance

Assuming that every trip member is an experienced traveler is a mistake. Travel programs generate interest among a wide range of attendees, from globetrotters to folks who have yet to step foot in an airport. Because there may be a discrepancy in the travel knowledge within your group, offering resources and assistance is helpful. Even if your package includes transportation, members may need to book plane tickets individually, in which case you should designate a helper to answer questions and resolve issues.

Consider also providing:

• Passport and visa application assistance
• Packing tips
• Applicable CDC advisories and vaccine information
• A guide to cultural norms in your destination country
• Travel medical and insurance resources
• Currency exchange services
• Safety recommendations and emergency contact information

You can equip the group with helpful literature, hold informational sessions, and create online forums where attendees can ask and answer questions, too.

12. Use trips as an opportunity to expand employees’ worldviews

While the trip acts first as an incentive and reward, the vacation can serve as an educational tool, too. By incorporating cultural experiences, you expand teammates’ worldviews, teach empathy, and develop soft skills that enhance employees’ abilities to interact with clients and colleagues.

To capitalize on the effects of the trip, select a destination that pushes staff out of their comfort zone and introduces new viewpoints and experiences. To achieve this end, the destination does not have to be a foreign country. Every country is culturally diverse, and workers benefit from visiting a new region, or even connecting with a distinct subculture close to home. The trip can be an opportunity not only for employees to relax and have fun, but also to grow.

13. Maximize team bonding

Being in an unfamiliar place together can bring a group closer together. Shared experiences are the root of team building, and group trips establish common ground and memories that form a foundation for continuing relationships. Group travel incentive programs can not only save companies time and money, but also supercharge group development. One of the best approaches to travel programs is to maximize team bonding potential by planning group excursions and team building activities and scheduling time for group reflection.

By dedicating Slack channels, social media groups, team chats, pre and post trip sessions, and shared online photo albums to the trip group, you can further fuel interactions between members.

Here is a list of team building ideas to try.

14. Leverage employee testimonials and social media

Organizations devote significant resources to travel programs. One way to optimize return on investment is to leverage employee testimonials and social media as a way to market company culture and motivate colleagues to strive for future travel incentives.

A few suggestions:

• Distribute a survey at the end of the trip. Make the survey completion a scheduled activity, or incentivize feedback by holding a prize drawing in tandem.
• Ask employees to submit photos and captions to the marketing team for the company social media page
• Coordinate a social media takeover campaign where trip attendees schedule content for company social media channels
• Encourage attendees to tag posts on personal accounts with the company handle and a specific hashtag.
• Dedicate blog posts to the experience
• Compile a highlights reel of the trip by editing together video clips
• Allow participants to speak about the trip on a company podcast
• Invite attendees to speak at information sessions for future trips

Most folks appreciate having a platform to share their stories and experiences. This user-generated content has many uses both internally and externally, such as in recruitment materials, marketing projects, and employee engagement campaigns .

15. Offer alternatives to travel

Although travel is an enticing incentive, it is not a universal motivator for all employees. Familial obligations, health complications, fear of flying, or a distaste for travel are examples of conditions that might prevent staff from reaping the rewards of the program. To better suit the needs of your entire organization, offer alternatives to trips, such as material bonuses or more localized experiences. Examples might include a chartered day at a nearby winery, tickets to the hometown sports team game, or extra paid time off. Read the next section for more suggestions on non-travel incentive rewards.

Other corporate incentives besides travel

Travel is not viable to every employee’s circumstances. For a more universally appealing incentive program, consider offering alternatives to travel. The following list offers a few suggestions.

Bonuses are the most common employee incentive. Monetary rewards give employees more autonomy over their winnings, since staff has the discretion to use the extra cash as they see fit. Not to mention, a financial award sends the message that the organization shares extra profits with staff, thus compelling employees to generate more revenue for the company.

When introducing financial incentives, it is important to explain a clear bonus structure so that the staff has a solid understanding of expectations and performance metrics.

2. Extra paid time off

Instead of scheduling a trip for employees, you could offer extra paid time off so that employees can travel when, where, and with whom they prefer. Through this method, your staff may opt for a staycation instead, choosing to use the extra time to catch up on errands, develop side hustles, spend time with family members, or relax at home. This approach signals that the company values employees’ personal time and appreciates work life balance. Plus, offering extra time awards employees more freedom to customize their prize.

3. Concerts

Concerts are close-to-home adventures. Music and nightlife enthusiasts love the chance to attend live performances. Access to sold-out or exclusive events, good seats or entry into VIP areas, and other perks like complimentary food or merchandise sweeten the deal. Partnering with a corporate-facing event company or local concert venue can help you net discounts and special offers for your employees.

4. Sporting events

Tickets or company box seats at a sporting event are an enticing prize for sports fans, salespeople, and anyone who relishes the energy of a live game. Best of all, since seasons consist of many games, you can divide the performance period into multiple benchmarks, and employ ticket giveaways as an ongoing motivator. Also, sports inspire attitudes of camaraderie and teamwork which you can channel into your workplace.

5. Technology

New gadgets and upgrades hit the technology market daily. Keeping all gadgets updated can be a challenge, so technology rewards are tempting incentives.

A few suggestions for technology incentives:

• smartphones
• video game systems
• action cameras
• smartwatches and fitness trackers
• wireless earbuds
• 3-D printers

Consider offering technology upgrades for personal use, work use, or a mix of both. For example, promise to buy high-tech printers for the winning department.

6. Parking spots

Parking can be a surprisingly effective employee motivator, especially if you work in a city with scarce or expensive parking options. Even if the office building houses a company garage, employees may eye a desirable spot. Winning a prized parking spot or a complimentary pass checks one box off of the proverbial to-do list and makes the morning commute less hectic. If parking is not part of your employee benefits package, then consider offering the amenity as a prize.

7. Fitness classes

Fitness is important, but not always inexpensive. While many companies offer wellness credits, gym memberships, or exercise classes as perks, bonus fitness services can make attractive prizes.

Here are some ideas for fitness incentives:

• Home gym equipment
• Subscription to online Yoga classes or Peloton
• Personal trainers
• Workout wardrobes
• Fitness trackers and smart devices
• Unusual exercise classes like parkour or circus aerobics

Even if your company provides regular exercise options, an upgraded fitness experience can serve as extra motivation.

8. Charity donations

Monetary gain is not a universal motivator, and at times philanthropy can drive efforts more effectively than cash rewards. One alternative to material prizes is to donate an agreed amount to a charity of the awardee’s choice.

Pro tip: Allow employees to suggest charities that fall within prescribed guidelines instead of picking from a limited list to ensure that workers can raise money for a cause they are passionate about.

9. Task management services

While you may not be able to give your employees extra hours in the day, gifting task services is the next best option. Hiring professional errand-runners frees up time in your employees schedules for relaxation, self-care, and self-improvement.

Suggestions for task services:

• Grocery deliveries
• Laundry and dry cleaning services
• Cooks or professional meal preppers
• Cleaners or organizing consultants
• Childcare services

Consider gifting credit towards multiple-service providers like TaskRabbit and Thumbtack so awardees can choose the most useful options.

10. Meals with executives

Lunch or dinner with a member of the C-suite serves the dual function of providing a complimentary meal along with quality time with higher management. For best results, offer one-on-one meetings or small group experiences so that every awardee has ample opportunity to interact with the executive. Similar bonding opportunities include golf games, tennis matches, hikes, creative classes, winery or brewery trips, or video game showdowns.

11. Massages and self-care

Some workers might not treat themselves to massages, spa-days, and other self-love splurges, but will indulge if gifted an activity. Pampering experiences inspire employees to achieve a goal while emphasizing the importance of self-care.

Here are some examples of self-care incentives:

• Manicures and pedicures
• Salon appointments
• Meditation session
• Career consulting or meeting with a life coach

These prizes send the message that companies care about employee wellbeing as well as performance.

12. Extraordinary events

Though some folks use the term incentive events interchangeably with incentive trips, at-home events can offer the excitement of travel minus the forms, transportation costs, or downtime at the airport. Extraordinary events give employees opportunities to socialize, participate in new experiences, and make memories with colleagues.

Some examples of event incentives include:

• Improv or standup comedy shows and workshops
• Cooking classes with renowned chefs
• Laser tag tournaments
• Winery or brewery tours
• Cocktail party at the CEO’s house
• Amusement park trips
• Early access to a new venue
• Special sales or product trials

Limiting the number of spots at these events and awarding entry only to high-achieving employees makes the occasion feel more special and motivates staff to strive towards a goal.

Final Thoughts

Travel is one of the most common bullet points on bucket lists, which means that trips serve as a powerful motivator. By affording employees opportunities to travel, you expand their world views and supercharge their relationships with teammates, all while rewarding extraordinary efforts and results and assigning great value to your workers’ contributions.

Next, check out this list of employee wellness program ideas and this list of incentives to return to the office .

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FAQ: Corporate incentive travel programs

Here are answers to the most common questions about corporate incentive travel programs.

What are corporate incentive travel programs?

Corporate incentive travel programs are motivational campaigns that reward top-performing employees with trips or special experiences. The aim of these programs is to increase staff loyalty, morale, and productivity. Incentive programs typically target specific goals such as fulfilling sales quotas, meeting product development deadlines, or raising customer satisfaction scores.

What are some good corporate incentive travel program tips?

Some good corporate incentive travel program tips include:

• Ask your staff for ideas
• Determine the goal of your program
• Provide clear guidelines to staff
• Consult a travel expert
• Research multiple vendors
• Negotiate exclusives
• Use organizational resources
• Stick to a budget
• Be liberal with options
• Focus on the experience more than the destination
• Offer resources and assistance
• Use trips as an opportunity to expand employees’ worldviews
• Maximize team bonding
• Leverage employee testimonials and social media
• Offer alternatives to travel

Though travel programs require extensive planning and organization, following the proper steps can ensure that your program pays off by raising employee output and morale.

What are good companies to use for corporate incentive travel programs?

There are many providers who offer and arrange trips and engaging events for corporate incentive programs.

Here are some recommended companies to use for corporate incentive travel programs:

When selecting a partner organization, research multiple providers and choose an option that fits your company’s budget, company culture, and particular needs.

Do corporate incentive travel programs work?

Travel programs can be powerful motivators. Employer-sponsored trips are an attractive reward, especially when the experiences include exclusives such as exclusive tours, private accommodations, and company parties. Travel programs are an especially compelling incentive for sales teams, though the perk can motivate a vast variety of positions and departments.

Though travel is a hefty investment for organizations, the corresponding rise in productivity is significant. Plus, funding trips signals that employers value their workers efforts and personal growth.

What makes incentive travel programs effective?

Clear goals and benchmarks, measurable metrics, smart internal marketing, meaningful experiences, and attractive awards are all factors that make incentive travel programs effective. The best determinant of the operation’s success is the level of foresight, consideration, and communication that goes into the planning and execution of the program.

Besides travel, what can employers offer in incentive programs?

Some non-travel incentive program rewards include:

• Extra paid time off
• Sporting events
• Parking spots
• Fitness classes
• Charity donations
• Home services
• Meal with an executive
• Massages and self-care
• Extraordinary events

Not every team member is able to travel, yet providing alternate rewards allows dedicated employees to reap the rewards of their efforts.

What is the difference between a corporate incentive program and an employee benefits program?

Organizations offer employee benefits across the board to all workers, although benefits packages might vary depending on position and band level, and individual candidates may be able to negotiate a more attractive package. While benefits programs are ongoing, built-in rewards, incentive programs are auxiliary, often limited-time offers. Corporate incentive programs exist to motivate employees to hit specific targets within a particular time frame.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com.

Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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How to Plan an Incentive Travel Program

It’s been a while, but they say it’s like riding a bike – you never forget how to plan an incentive travel program. And because of a late-in-the-game staffing challenge, I landed on the Big Island of Hawaii after six intense weeks of working side-by-side with my colleague, Travel Experience Producer Heather Graver. Together, we planned and executed a program to be proud of for nearly 1000 people at the Fairmont Orchid, my new favorite hotel. I admit it took me a few days to get in the groove, but there were some principles that got me through:

Start with the Big Picture

It’s easy to forget the point of it all. A planner can get so focused on how many hors d’oeuvres per person are included in the Banquet Event Order that they forget what the program is all about.

The program is about the client’s goals, and about celebrating the people who have achieved them. That’s a big accomplishment, for the company and for the individual guests. It is essential to understand how the program fits into the company’s broader business strategy and to plan every experience and every event to live up to the expectations that inspired a year of hard work and commitment.

Only by understanding the relationships between the company and the guests, and by making the client’s priorities your own, can you really craft an experiential reward that lives up to the hype and represents the brand.

Write It All Down

When I’m planning, I start with the agenda. This operational document can easily run to over 100 pages. It’s the only way that I can see the gaps in what we’re planning. It also automatically highlights decisions that need to be made or details that need further thought. It’s how you work out where to station the photographers or what time your team will need to advance the VIP reception. Heather and I used the agenda to communicate to each other, adding and answering questions, making sure we had it all covered.

By capturing all of the thinking in one place, you provide the on-site operational team with everything they need to know to execute the program as you intended. And, most importantly, you free yourself up to deal with challenges as they arise because everything else is taken care of and delegated.

Check Your Data

Most programs have a lot of data flying around – registrations, dietary preferences, optional activity selections, tax information, guest changes, and VIP invitations. It gets complex very quickly.

It’s important to commit time and resources to making sure that changes are making it through all of the lists. The implications of one guest name change can reach far and wide, from printed materials to seating charts. And when we’re striving for perfection, it’s worth it to stop, take a moment, and be sure that we’ve thought things through.

Just as important is being sure you understand the numbers. When working with nearly 1000 guests, even a small change in cost gets large quickly. Miss a $1 addition to breakfast and over six days, that becomes a $6,000 loss. We check, double-check, and negotiate to obtain what our clients need, on budget.

Rely on Talented People

Particularly with large program, one person really can’t do it all. This is tough to take for many planners, who tenaciously prefer to remain in control of every detail through the life of the program. But with all of the moving parts – flights, people, guest rooms, meals, activities, special requests, emergencies, weather, and even volcanos (yes, volcanos) – it’s just not possible to avoid delegating.

As a full-service incentive house, we can rely on our colleagues. In the weeks leading up to our program, 17 people in the office worked with us to bring the event to life, from IT to Marketing Communications. On site, we brought in our best trip directors, each of whom was assigned a role and responsibilities. All together, it took nearly 40 people from Next Level to deliver the program, not to mention the local vendors and talent we brought in for their expertise. It really does take a village.

A few months ago, we wrote an article on The Top Five Reasons You Need an Incentive Travel Company . This was #5: Depth on the Bench. It’s an absolute essential for a successful program.

We had a great program. Amazingly the volcano blew on the night we had a lava themed event, but we were otherwise not impacted by the seismic and volcanic activity 70 miles across the island. Guests went exploring every day – snorkeling, riding ATVs, taking helicopter excursions, and playing rounds of golf by the ocean – on this gorgeous island. They came back to the Fairmont every night to tell us of their adventures, often a little sunburned, but always excited about the experience. Two weeks later, they’re still adding updates on the event app, sharing pictures, thanking the client for the opportunity, and extending the networking at home.

I’ve gone back to Marketing, where, as a colleague once told me, “There are no Marketing emergencies!” (Thank goodness!). I’ll miss the thrill of working so hard on the planning and seeing the event come to life. But mostly, I’ll miss the happy people, enjoying a well-deserved reward and being treated with more care and thought than they’ve ever experienced before. It’s pretty awesome to be able to give that kind of joy to 1000 guests.

If you’re planning a program, do yourself and every person attending a favor: bring in an incentive travel specialist. They can take on the hard work and the stress, anticipate the challenges, tap resources, and treat every person on your program like the important individual they are. It’s worth it.

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Corporate Incentive Travel

Thanking your most important stakeholders with the intrinsic value of travel.

Incentive Travel recognizes your company’s top performers or most valuable customers with rewards, incentives, and gifts that inspire high performance, create customer loyalty, and build employee engagement. But don’t be mistaken—crafting incentive travel programs is much more than booking a vacation. When done right, these monumental experiences create a crescendo of strategic moments that weave your organization’s goals and celebrations fluidly through your itinerary to drive impact far more than just your sales figures, they impact your bottom line. 

We understand the complexities of booking large group travel, but even more importantly, we understand the need to curate meaningful moments that bond your team and inspire unwavering loyalty. Lean on Fox for all things incentive travel, including:

• Promoting and communicating your incentive program to ensure team engagement and loyalty
• Optimizing your budget and sourcing the industry’s best properties and partners that share your culture and elevate your mission
• Consulting on program details such as themes, timelines, in-room branded gifting, on property experiences, excursions that matter and rewards that are meaningful
• Evaluating and analyzing the results to the goal of the program
• Hosted site inspections to review properties, outline and define space needs and solidify best fit partners and events
• Traveling onsite with you to support every detail, mitigate any challenges and support travelers as an extension of your team

Associate Rewards

Recognition for intentional results is a proven way to motivate further and inspire others to push their limits. Consider a rewards program as a piece of your total incentive program to elevate and celebrate your best performers.

Sales Incentives

Top sales professionals are motivated by more than just personal goals but by recognition and appreciation from their organization and leaders. While gifts, bonuses, and raises influence sales achievements, meaningful experiences such as incentive travel give a more lasting gift of memories, connection, and engagement.

Corporate Gifting

Surprise travel packages are unexpected, exciting, and inspiring. Plus, it is a wonderful way to show associates how much you appreciate all their efforts. Surprise and delight your associates with those little extras before, during, and after your event or as an inspiration token to drive results before the event.

Gain access to experts who know the properties and industry partners. Our team’s knowledge of current negotiation terms and conditions trends, access to corporate rates, and expertise in hotel and flight inventory will assist with delivering a successful program. Our team mitigates risk and makes the contracting process easy.

Customer Reviews

There was such a high level of collaboration. Our program manager had been at that resort just a few weeks before and knew exactly who, what, when where and how to create the most meaningful experiences…. from the authentic cuisine to the fire dancers and final beach closing ceremony…it was like they just knew us; they knew our expectations and they really knew our culture.

We really could tell that everyone at Fox loves what they do and cares about the customer. It’s the same culture we strive for at Bright Orthodontics, and we are so happy with our decision to work with the Fox team to plan our corporate retreat.

The team offered us a full suite of ideas and options. There was such a high level of collaboration. Our program manager had been at that resort just a few weeks before and knew exactly who, what, when, where, and how to create the most meaningful event experiences… from the authentic cuisine, so the fire dancers and final beach closing ceremony. It was like they just knew us; they knew our expectations and they really knew our culture.

Fox World Travel has done an amazing job. They truly take all of the worry and craziness out of planning a trip. They are extremely competent, listen to our needs, and make everything feel so easy. And I know this is no easy task. They are always responsive and patient. I love working with them! The entire team is amazing!

I wanted to pass along how happy I am with the work that Fox did for our recent “President’s Club” trip. Given the trip took place in California, had been rescheduled a couple times, people flying in from various airports, covid, etc., they never skipped a beat. My program managers represent Fox World Travel well, and I will gladly work with them on group trips anytime! There’s a reason we never deviate from Fox, you are the best!

Related Articles

Learn how Fox uses creative innovation to highlight your mission, vision, value, and your gratitude in a way that puts your organization’s culture leagues above your competition.

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6 Benefits of Incentive Travel Programs

• March 7, 2022
• Incentive Travel

Corporate travel incentive programs are cost-effective rewards for top performers . They benefit the company by promoting revenue growth and customer acquisition and increasing sales .

Travel incentive programs create these benefits by using the reward of company-funded travel to a gorgeous and activity-packed destination to boost employee morale, stimulate employee productivity, aid employee retention , and improve ongoing recruitment efforts. These benefits lead to success for the program, revenue growth for the company, and higher reported job satisfaction of the employees.

1. They Pay for Themselves

While it might seem like incentive travel programs have a high price tag, it’s important to consider that cost in the proper context: as a benefit to employees that will incentivize them to do their best work and result in greater benefits to the company over time.

If you haven’t considered an incentive travel program before, it may also be less expensive than you imagine. MTI Events has options available for all different budgets and different types of incentive travel so that any company, big or small, can offer this benefit to employees and see impressive returns!

2. They Boost Employee Morale

When employees feel genuinely appreciated by their managers and the company in general, they’re more likely to have a better attitude that improves all aspects of their work life. You can show employees that their work is appreciated by awarding regular raises and bonuses, but if you want employees to go above and beyond, it’s best to lead by example!

3. They Boost Employee Productivity

Besides increased morale and higher job satisfaction, one of the most significant predictors of employee productivity is stress. While you can’t remove all your employees’ stressors outside of work, you can use incentive travel programs to provide them an opportunity to truly get away from it all for a while.

Being physically away from work and home will allow them to relax. Activities offered at the travel location will help them reenergize by enabling them to try something new or do something they enjoy but don’t have the opportunity to do at home because of time or budget constraints.

It’s also impossible to travel with other people without bonding with them. Incentive travel programs set up a scenario where you’re putting all your top performers in a casual environment where they can get to know each other better and informally discuss business matters. This almost always results in employees returning to work with fresh perspectives and improved tactics for doing their jobs.

4. They Improve Employee Retention

One of the biggest expenses for any company is churn—the cost of training replacements when employees leave the company and paying for coverage while replacements are brought up to speed. While some of this is an inevitable cost of doing business, much of it isn’t.

When employees are happy with their situation, feel competent in their role, get along with coworkers and management, and believe their pay and benefits are generous, they’re more likely to stay with a company for longer. Being generous with employees and sharing the revenue they bring to the company persuades them to stay with you longer.

5. They Improve Ongoing Recruitment Efforts

When you do need to hire new employees, it will be much easier to recruit top talent if you have a workplace full of satisfied employees and a track record of unique benefits like incentive travel programs .

Think about it! If you were a top sales performer with a stellar resumé, which company would you want to work at? The company with the annual Christmas party or the company that sent their top sellers to the Caribbean? (Trick question: you’d want to work at the company that sent their top sellers to the Caribbean for Christmas.)

6. They Increase Revenue

Employees who are satisfied with their company and work at peak productivity will increase revenue for the company. Incentive travel programs aren’t only an excellent way to boost morale and engagement; they’re also a great way to motivate employees to achieve stretch goals well beyond your sales targets.

When people are appropriately incentivized, they’ll work harder to achieve the expectations that have been set for them. There’s no better way to incentivize working professionals than with an incentive travel program .

Reap the Benefits of Incentive Travel with Help from MTI Events!

Planning a travel incentive program involves event planning, location selection, contract negotiation, event production, and related logistics, including negotiating with airlines, hotels, and transportation providers. That’s a lot of work, which is where MTI Events comes into play!

Our hard-working and dedicated representatives are skilled in all aspects of travel incentive programs. We cover all the details and logistics so that you can focus on the most important part of your company’s program: the benefits you’ll experience from the start of the program to the end of the vacation and beyond.

We can build individual incentives , team incentive travel programs , or both. The best part is that you don’t have to set aside time to build, establish, and manage these programs. We’ll take care of them for you! Give us a call at (913) 521-8680 if you have any questions.

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Incentive Events

Inspire performance with unforgettable experiences

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Excite. Motivate. Connect.

You know people work at their best when they are truly motivated and feel valued. Incentive events are not only a great way of rewarding performance, they’re also a place where bonds are formed and relationships cemented, creating a platform to support future success.

To maximize the value of the investment in an incentive, it’s key that each event is based on a clear understanding of each customer’s unique requirements.  Using this approach, we create world-class events around the world for a diverse group of organisations across numerous industry sectors, from life sciences through to finance and technology.  We help these customers reward individual, team and business partner performance, across functions and at every level, from local to global.

"CWT Meetings & Events is a true partner who took the time to understand our brand, our people and our goals. Their team is innovative, passionate and experienced. Every program they design exceeds my expectations and every program they operate makes me look like a rock-star.” Sr. Vice President of Sales, Multi-National Technology Company

Supporting you every step of the way

The world has never been more complex and delivering an event within budget that really stands out can appear daunting.  That’s where our award winning-team comes in. Our comprehensive service covers everything from creative concept and program design, to flight and venue sourcing and negotiation, on-site support and attendee engagement - before, during and after the event. Our size and global presence offers invaluable influence and flexibility during these constantly changing times.  

Your dedicated team, supported by their expert colleagues around the world, are ready to use their industry-leading capability, and the creativity and innovation that runs through our DNA, to exceed the expectations of you and your audience.

Here’s an example of how we put this into practice for our customer: ‘Cannes’ we do it? Yes we can!

Program Types

• Group incentive
• Reward and recognition trips
• Presidents club programs
• Sustainable initiatives
• Dealer channel incentive trips
• Top performer trips
• Customer loyalty incentive trips

Capabilities

• Theming, creative and communications
• Meeting planning and coordination
• Sourcing, site selection, and contract negotiation
• Risk management and safety protocols
• Registration and mobile technology
• Air and ground transportation
• Food and beverage

350 people, 100 trees, brought together by one common goal

Success story - incentive event.

CWT Meetings & Events collaborated with the customer in order to execute a unique incentive event with a strong CSR aspect. The purpose was to recognize and celebrate the power of community, and reward employees for their efforts and success from around the globe. In addition the incentive would include a way for employees to give back to the environment and make a big impact for years to come.  

Uniting attendees over a shared passion - decadent chocolate-themed adventure

A renowned French chocolatier took employees and pastry chef/confectioner clients on a journey into the heart of artisanal chocolate production country – Peru. This event strengthened the company’s brand image and loyalty with clients, who saw the quality of its raw ingredients first-hand. It also enhanced employees’ relationships with both clients and growers, while reinforcing their pride in the company. The event went on to win two prestigious industry awards.

Culture club: Creating memorable experiences to reward top performers

Our teams in Brazil and Spain collaborated to overcome exceptional challenges and create a unique Spanish experience. Attendees were left with unforgettable memories from Madrid, while cost savings at show-stopping venues were also delivered to our client, one of Brazil’s largest insurance companies. Requirements also included provision of a seamless digital experience with email invitations, online registration and a customized mobile app for the event.

Are you ready to excite and reconnect with your attendees?

Contact us today!

LET US CREATE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES TOGETHER

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Motivate your employees with a once-in-a-lifetime incentive travel experience, designed to drive performance and alignment to your business goals and objectives.

Inspire your team for maximum performance, motivate, inspire & reward your top performers.

We all know what it feels like to be valued at work – we’re more motivated, loyal and we align better to our performance goals and objectives.

That’s why it pays to reward your company’s top players for their dedication and performance – and there’s no better way to give thanks than with an incentive travel experience.

With a wide range of unique experiences to inspire your team to reach and exceed their goals, and engage and align your workforce for future collaboration and teamwork, incentive travel experiences will motivate your team to deliver business benefits both today and into the future.

From a cultural tour or experience that supports your business’s CSR objectives, to live events, beachside escapes, or cultural city tours – incentive travel and event experiences provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences for your most passionate and high-performing employees.

Our team of event creatives, event planners, event managers, and producers can arrange everything for you, leaving your top performers to enjoy the experience and your organization with a happy and highly motivated team.

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ETM Incentive Events

• Reward and recognition programs
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• Customer loyalty incentives
• Dealer channel incentives.

ETM capabilities

• Event planning and event coordination
• Venue sourcing, destination selection, and contract negotiation
• Registration, communications, and mobile apps
• Event theming and creative
• Transportation
• Gala dinners and social programs.

Contact our team today to discuss your business’s incentive travel plans.

Take the stress out of event management with our expert event planning team.

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How Do Incentive Events and Travel Benefit Your Business? 

Incentive events and travel are the key to creating a productive, successful, and dedicated workforce. Business today can be demanding and finding quality staff requires more incentives than just salary and benefits. Often retaining your staff in these challenging times can be as simple as offering an incentive rewards program that your staff can work towards and enjoy together. Many of the most productive and successful businesses only remain  productive and successful because they invest in their staff and employees with more than just wages  and health benefits, because almost every business can offer the same. What  separates you from the pack is your desire to retain your employees and to help them want to work for  you. Incentive events and travel offer a program that your staff can work toward and enjoy the fruits of their labors. Partnering with Incentive Travel Solutions to design and implement incentive events and travel rewards, allows you to measure the success of your staff members and continue to encourage them to work harder and smarter while creating an enjoyable workplace.

Incentive events, like travel group travel and company destination events encourage and reward  employees for a job well done. You can choose a myriad of incentive plans when consulting with  Incentive Travel Solutions, that are measurable against your business goals and recognize your hardest  and most productive staff by rewarding them with unforgettable experiences. 

Benefits of Working With Incentive Travel Solutions:

• Establishment of Employee Incentive Program 
• Domestic and International Travel Knowledge 
• Expert Travel Costs Negotiation 
• Hotel and Flight Bookings 
• On Site Travel Concierges 
• Event and Activity Planning 
• Easy Online Event & Travel Registration Portal 

Want To Learn More About The Benefits of Corporate Incentive Events?

For more information about implementing incentive events and travel experiences that will make your business more productive and rewarding, contact Incentive Travel Solutions here! Our team of experienced corporate event and travel planners will take care of all the details  and intricate planning so your work goes uninterrupted and you can enjoy your events. Call today to learn more. 

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How working with event planners improves incentive travel.

by Devin Carver

November 16th, 2023

Travel | Incentive Programs

In today’s demanding corporate climate, businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of incentive travel programs as powerful tools to motivate and reward their employees. However, orchestrating a successful incentive trip involves meticulous planning, creative expertise, and intricate logistics that can be overwhelming to handle on your own. Enter a skilled, experienced event planner – the unsung hero behind the seamless execution of unforgettable travel experiences. These individuals can elevate your next incentive program from a mere trip to an extraordinary journey.

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What an Event Planner Brings to the Planning Process

What is a dmc and what is their role, importance of choosing the right destination for incentives, what to look for in incentive travel destinations, how event planning agencies can improve your incentive travel.

While you and your team may have solid goals for your incentive program, an event planner brings a unique set of skills to the table to help you achieve those goals. Excelling at conceptualizing and designing the overall event experience, planners focus on understanding your objectives, creating memorable themes, and developing cohesive strategy that aligns with your brand’s mission. Their expertise lies in crafting engaging and memorable experiences that go beyond logistics.

Personalization is key to making incentive trips unforgettable. Planners curate tailored experiences, including unique excursions, team-building activities, and cultural immersion events. They design activities that resonate with attendees, creating distinctive experiences that will be talked about for years to come.

Still, even the most impressive incentive trip comes with the minutiae of coordinating travel arrangements, accommodations, transportation, and activities for the group – all of which can be logistically challenging. Luckily, planners are not only creative; they also excel at managing details. In the hands of an experienced event planner, you can relax and enjoy the trip without worrying about the organizational aspects.

However, even the most experienced event planners may turn to others for help. If you’ve ever tried organizing a large trip that includes travel accommodations, overnight stays, and events or activities tied to the destination, you’ve likely come across a DMC – destination management company. From local stays to exciting excursions, DMCs act as knowledgeable experts about a given destination. These companies organize the details of a trip from lodging to uncovering a region’s must-see and must-do locations. 

Event planners and DMCs possess distinct skill sets that complement each other when planning an incentive trip. DMCs are often very familiar with particular destinations. Because of this, DMCs serve as an excellent resource when event planners create itineraries for an unfamiliar destination or need assistance with nailing down bookings. For instance, planning a conference for a hundred guests in a region with a language barrier can be challenging without the right resources. DMCs can help facilitate communications and provide confidence and security for the event planner in their decision making.

Further, as destination experts, DMCs can navigate the unique features of a trip. Let’s say there’s a special cultural experience coming up. A DMC can point this out to the event planning team and help them craft an immersive experience for their client. This kind of insider knowledge goes a long way when it comes to creating memorable experiences for a large audience. While doing your own research can introduce you to the area you’re exploring, DMCs provide up-to-date information and craft unique experiences you might not be able to find on your own. 

Incentive travel not only allows more people to experience a new destination and get a change in scenery, but it also boosts connections between team members, resulting in better working relationships. The right destination increases excitement for the upcoming trip, earning early buy-in from event participants.

Guests attending corporate incentive travel events are looking for authentic experiences and an opportunity to create new connections with their colleagues. Not only that, incentive travel can be a huge morale booster , increasing productivity by creating positive associations between employees and their company. However, the wrong location can prevent any of this from happening. 

Selecting an undesirable destination for an incentive event can result in low attendance rates and an overall bad impression of the company. To effectively plan a successful event , companies should look to event planners for guidance in what their industry is seeking in an incentive travel opportunity. This includes a healthy mix of destination-related activities, immersive experiences with the local culture, and relationship-building events among attendees. 

The latest insights from the 2023 Incentive Travel Index report highlight new emerging trends for incentive travel and event planning. Perhaps most notable is the shifting desire to travel to destinations closer to home. According to the report, “While decreasing distance of travel and increasing resort use, buyers are still looking for new destinations they haven’t used before.”

In other words, event planners need to keep an eye out for interesting destinations with resort offerings (a high-demand feature). In fact, there are a multitude of U.S. destinations that fit the bill. Additionally, the report indicates attendees are still seeking group experiences that highlight local culture, but they also want to participate in relationship-building activities. 

Similarly, incentive travel guests are also seeking exciting dining opportunities or bucket list destinations and cities. According to the report, they’re looking for an escape. That’s where the resort destinations come in. Cities have a bit less appeal while destinations that focus on unplugging and reconnecting with others are of high value.

With this information in mind, event planners need to look for incentive travel destinations that provide cultural sightseeing experiences while incorporating opportunities to strengthen relationships among guests. 

While you might have a general idea of what you’re looking for in your next incentive travel destination, sorting out the details can quickly become a challenge. Experienced event planning agencies can work with you to pinpoint exactly what you hope to achieve during your next trip while creating a well-rounded experience for all of your attendees. 

Venue Sourcing

If you’ve picked a region for your event, you’ll need to find a venue for lodging, meetings, and possibly more. If hotels or resorts are not available for both accommodations and event hosting, planners can help sort through venues in the area, as well as plan travel logistics. 

Event planning agencies can reach out to venues you’re considering and gather the information needed to make a final selection . Further, they may already have established relationships with regional venues, which can be incredibly valuable, especially when it comes to budgeting and scheduling. More specifically, if you are concerned with budget limitations, event planners help negotiate rates or even bundle events to get a reasonable rate. In some cases, event planners might work with DMCs to find suitable venues for the planned activities. 

It comes as no surprise that one of the biggest challenges facing incentive travel is rising costs and inflation. That doesn’t mean your trip has to be less exciting or enticing. Event planners can help you identify destinations where you can maximize your event budget while still delivering the experiences attendees desire.

Established relationships, knowledge of destinations, and various strategies employed by event planning agencies can help save you money in the long run, and they’ll work closely with you to ensure you not only meet your goals but also stay on budget.

Regional Concerns/Experience

According to the 2023 Incentive Travel Index report, more and more attendees are growing concerned about the safety of their travel experiences, especially in regard to the destination. Destinations need to be perceived as safe from crime in order for attendees to feel comfortable on the trip. 

This may play a role in the increasing desire to participate in incentive travel programs that are close to the origin location, along with utilizing on-site meals and events, rather than leaving the hotel for meals and activities. All-inclusive resorts are popular for this reason.Event planning agencies with incentive travel expertise are familiar with what regions are safe for attendees, and because they act as your partner, they are on site to help you navigate areas new to you and your team.

Travel and Logistics

Perhaps the biggest challenge to organizing and executing incentive travel is the logistics. How are attendees going to get to the destination? What are the options for food and beverage ?

Luckily, corporate event planners are often experienced in managing group air travel and finding hotels that can accommodate your attendees. It’s important to note that guests of incentive travel events want their experience to be easy. This means they shouldn’t have to worry about transport when leaving the hotel or resort grounds in order to participate in planned activities and events. Coordinating ground travel can include many moving parts to be properly executed, so working with a corporate event planner can take that stress off your team and attendees.

58% of respondents to the 2023 Incentive Travel Index survey said a successful incentive travel program includes relationship-building activities. While cultural experiences are still important when visiting a new destination, incentive travel events are also designed to promote engagement among employees and build relationships that lead to organizational success. 

Event planners can help your team plan a mix of activities incorporating local culture while promoting increased interactions with each other. Further, incentive programs offer an excellent opportunity to engage in volunteer events that meet corporate ESG goals , educate your team on local culture, and foster goodwill.  

Before planning your next company incentive trip, reach out to an experienced event planner. The right agency can match your team with the perfect destination, venue, and activities to cultivate new relationships and create meaningful experiences for your employees. Bishop-McCann specializes in travel experiences that are unique to your business while incorporating the unique characteristics of your chosen destination. To learn more, reach out to our team today!

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Event marketing

How to plan incentive events that WOW! 

Incentive events motivate top performers to exceed their goals. Check out these incentive event planning tips to WOW your attendees.

Updated on: Apr 14, 2022 | 4 Min Read

About the author

Caitlin Barrett

Caitlin is a Content Marketing Manager at Webex Events (formerly Socio). As a copywriter turned graphic designer turned content marketer, she loves combining engaging content and good design to create best-in-class experiences for brands and their customers.

Perks like performance bonuses and extra paid time off inspire employees to exceed their business goals, but what about an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean?

As companies compete for top talent and look for exciting new ways to motivate and reward their all-star employees, they often turn to incentive events to show gratitude for a job well done. 

How do incentive events work?

An incentive event is an exclusive trip, excursion, or event employers host to incentivize employees to go above and beyond. The employer sets the parameters in advance and clearly communicates the goals an employee needs to meet to qualify for the recognition program .

Incentive trips can be as simple as a single-day excursion to a theme park or local winery, or as extravagant as a vacation at an all-inclusive resort. The only rule is the incentive trip needs to motivate employees to go the extra mile.  

Nonetheless, if you’re an HR leader, benefits manager, executive assistant, or corporate event planner, keep reading to learn the ins and outs of incentive event planning.

​​Planning a successful incentive event

Create your goals and vision .

As you design your recognition program, make sure to clearly define the goals of your incentive event and what you want attendees to take away. Take advantage of gathering your top performers together and think about how you can create moments to strengthen relationships and encourage cross-department synergies.

Most likely, your incentive event goals will include a mix of:

• Employee recognition
• Team building and networking
• Training and professional development
• Relaxation and fun! 

Define your budget and technology needs

Enlist sponsors to offset costs.

Depending on the size of your organization and the scope of your incentive trip, you may need to raise funds to cover expenses. Sponsors provide the perfect solution.

Incentive event sponsors can help by covering the entire expense (best-case scenario), picking up a portion of the tab, offering cost-reducing services like travel or lodging, or providing relevant swag like hiking backpacks or swim flippers.  

Just make sure to clearly communicate how your incentive event will deliver value to potential sponsors. We recommend designing tiered sponsorship packages to make it easy for brands to fully understand your offerings and choose an option to best serve their needs.

Need help securing event sponsors? Check out The ultimate guide to event sponsorship

Use event technology to simplify everything

If you’re planning a large-scale incentive event, complete with meetings and seminars as well as fun activities, consider an event management platform to automate processes, improve communication, house event materials, and ultimately make YOUR life easier.

With an event management platform, you can go completely paperless! Store event agendas, hotel maps, transportation information, and other key documents in the cloud. Plus, easily communicate with your event attendees and sponsors via push notifications, group and one-on-one messaging, and in-platform social media postings.

An event management platform can help you:

• Power registration, check-in, and onsite badge printing
• Save on paper and printing costs
• Work on the go via a mobile app
• Enhance attendee networking and connection
• Showcase event sponsors in impactful ways
• Level up engagement via gamification, polling, and Q&A

For more planning tips: Event management planning strategies: how to execute a flawless event

Make your incentive event fun 

Effective incentive events inspire employees to strive for their best, so don’t skimp on the fun. Otherwise, it will feel like a typical corporate event, not an exclusive outing for your elite performers.

Popular examples of fun incentive travel include cruises, ski trips, beach vacations, and hiking adventures. For smaller events, you could offer a day trip to a casino or theme park, purchase box seats or a suite to a professional sporting event, or book a private room at the hottest restaurant in town.

The fun should also translate to any meetings, training, or seminars. Your top employees will all be at the event together, and it’s a perfect time to plan activities to boost morale and inspire your people to learn from each other. Use event gamification , such as trivia and other challenges, to make education sessions fun and competitive. Include a dedicated social wall in your event platform for attendees to post pictures, connect, and engage with your content.

Maximizing fun is important, but be careful to not go overboard and fill every waking minute with activities. Giving attendees time to relax and do their own thing can help them feel refreshed and return from the event feeling even more inspired. 

In-person events are back! Watch our on-demand webinar, The new playbook for in-person events .

Make your incentive event easy

Most importantly, incentive events shouldn’t feel like work for your attendees. As the event planner, make sure all of the details are clearly laid out and easily accessible. Provide travel info and communicate key dates, times, and agendas as soon as possible.

Again, this is where an event management company takes your event to the next level. If you use a mobile event app, you can easily store and update event materials in real time. It ensures attendees always have the most pertinent information at their fingertips, no matter on the beach or the golf course. 

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Meetings & Incentives

Fusing location and theme to build more engaging events for your incentive travel program.

How choosing the right destination enhances the theme and overall experience of incentive events Crafting an unforgettable incentive travel event heavily relies on understanding how the location and theme interact to influence the event design. Not only do these two elements affect the design elements of an onsite experience, but they greatly fuel the portrayal of your brand’s company culture. Incentive event attendees are not just joining your brand onsite to travel and explore a new culture, they are there to engage with your brand. It is imperative that the theme and destination chosen shines a light on your company’s goals in order to inspire employees in new ways and encourage them to engage. Your event design should also reflect your brand persona in more ways than one. From conception to actualization, design is one of the most crucial pieces of the incentive travel planning process, and it affects every aspect of the experience, setting the tone and reinforcing the theme for your company’s top achievers. In this article, we will talk about all carefully curated elements of the incentive event design process, from website design and pre-event materials to onsite settings and signage.

The Digital Gateway: Building a Custom Website The first impression is paramount. Event websites provide the initial opportunity for attendees to immerse themselves in the event destination before they even arrive, digitally guiding them through details about the destination, itinerary, activities, cultural considerations, FAQ, and more. Landing pages that showcase the destination’s beauty and uniqueness, highlight the trip’s activities, and bring the theme to life through sleek design and interactive elements set the tone for a tech-forward retreat. The design of the website should build excitement among attendees and act as the gateway to online registration.

Pre-Trip Teasers Mailing materials, including pre-travel documents and “Know-before-you-go” information, should be the first physical touchpoint to engage attendees. Distributing beautifully designed itineraries encased in custom packaging hints at the locale they can expect to enjoy. Everything from the mailing’s texture, imagery, color palette, and verbiage should reflect the essence of the destination and the event itself. From artful travel documents and programs, luggage tags, and specialty branded box tops, the details matter to help set the stage and capture luxury in every aspect.

Locale-Aligned Itineraries Before attendees arrive on-site, ensure all activities celebrate the destination's unique offerings, while embodying the event's core message and theme. For an event centered around leadership, envision a day spent with a renowned local leader, culminating in a workshop held in a venue that has stood the test of time, echoing the event's focus on enduring success. Or for example, imagine an MCI specialty, visiting the Horse Whisperer in Santa Barbara to not only experience one man’s divine-like connection to the nature world but also learn a little more about the spirit of human connection. These activities exist not only to fuel inspiration amongst your attendees, but also provide them with the opportunity to connect with other cultures and dive into new experiences. On-site Immersion As attendees arrive at the destination, every element of the experience should help craft your event narrative. Elements of theme and destination can be incorporated across all aspects of an onsite event, from food to décor, to signage and welcome gifts, all these details add to the narrative your brand is trying to convey. Incentive trips should strive to make attendees feel like they are part of an exclusive club, fostering positive feelings of team spirit and brand loyalty. Details like specialty designed menus that feature local delicacies prepared by celebrated chefs inspire excellence as our client’s guests set forth on their incentive journey, and in turn, inspire excellence for your brand. Before & After Examples of Onsite Incentive Design

By fusing the chosen destination with the thematic core of your event, you're not just planning an incentive travel experience; you're curating a journey that resonates deeply with your brand's culture and aspirations. This design process ensures every element, from the digital gateway of the event website and the tangible pre-trip materials to the immersive on-site experience, champions your company's values and achievements. By honoring this process, you craft an environment where attendees not only explore a new culture but feel a sense of belonging with your brand. Carefully designing an Incentive event experience forges stronger connections between your attendees and the company, encouraging a collective stride towards future achievements. By intricately weaving together the destination's character with the event's thematic goals, MCI can carefully curate an incentive event tailored to our client’s needs. If you’re ready to explore the globe-trotting possibilities of an MCI USA incentive travel trip, connect with us today to discuss how we can curate a culturally significant experience that goes beyond rewards.

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An incentive event, also sometimes known as an incentive program or incentive trip, is a planned event or tripthat is used to encourage people to achieve a specific business goal. An incentive event is often a program organized to recognize a specific individual or individuals who achieved certain goals whereas incentive travel or an incentive trip is a term usually used to describe a multi-day trip that is awarded to an individual or individuals who achieved specific goals. Most often the goals set are related to sales and business development, but executives and managers have utilized these sorts of incentives for any number of profitable business goals.

How Incentive Events and Travel Work

While these incentives can range from a dedicated local program to an employer-sponsored vacation, when it comes to driving sales, many companies have found that destination-based reward programs (that is to say incentive travel) are some of the most effective forms of employee incentives. Incentive trips can serve as powerful motivation and improve your team’s morale and performance. Who wouldn't want to spend a few days away from work in a beautiful location all on their company's dime?

When it comes to incentive travel, corporate event planners will generally organize an incentive program with a trip to a world-class destination or resorts with the sole purpose of encouraging employees to achieve the specific goals that will qualify them for the trip. The company will promote the incentive travel and the explicit goals that must be met to be eligible, and those who qualify are rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip.​

What Makes Incentive Events Effective

When executed well, incentive events and incentive trips should both motivate and reward. Good incentive events will inspire employees to reach specific goals as well as serve as a reward for those who accomplish them. While incentive travel can vary from organization to organization and even year-to-year for the same company, the most effective incentives are those opportunities that will pique the interest of your employees.

Ensuring that an incentive trip is incentivizing enough is the first step. The next step for an effective incentive event or trip is to promote the incentive travel and the eligibility criteria (such as sales goals). If employees are not aware of the goals, their deadlines, and the specifics of the incentive, the incentive cannot do its job to motivate performance. While most corporate event planners and the executives or managers involved generally do a great job with the promotion of the incentive travel, they typically fall short in the execution.

Planning Successful Events

One of the most common mistakes with incentive travel and events is in planning the event itself and the follow-up. An effective incentive event should be an interactive and engaging method of inspiring employee morale and performance before, during, and after the event. That is to say that great incentives will motivate employees to attain the goals and the event itself should continue to motivate those high performers.

While incentive events should always have fun and enjoyable components that don't feel like work (it should feel like an award), the most effective events and trips include activities and agenda items that teach and inspire. What better way to reach higher goals next year than to have your top performers learn from one another? In the words of one great event management company, without "fanning the flames of motivation [your incentive event becomes] nothing more than a subsidized business party."

Ticketed Events become a popular incentive for Americans to travel this summer

Passport stamps are a likely complement to this year’s hottest tickets for Americans as they pack their bags to attend concerts, sports and live entertainment events around the globe this summer, according to Allianz Partners USA’s 16th Annual Vacation Confidence Index*. 

Entertainment remains a driving force for travel as the travel insurance and assistance company’s latest survey found that  24%  of Americans plan to travel to a destination to attend a major pop culture event. Leading the way,  40% of younger travelers ages 18–34 plan to leave their hometowns to attend an event. Not far behind, a quarter ( 26% ) of older travelers ages 35-54 also expect to travel to attend their favorite events. Unlike the younger demographics, travelers over 55 are less likely ( 9% ) to travel for entertainment.

The survey also revealed that almost two-thirds ( 63% , no change year over year) of Americans plan to attend a ticketed event in 2024, while nearly one in five ( 18% ) expect to attend three events or more (down two points from last year).

With A-list musicians on tour and premier sporting events dominating the calendar, it’s no surprise that 71% of younger Americans (ages 18-34) will be in the crowd of at least one ticketed event this year, although it represents a seven-point drop from 2023. Following their lead but moving four points higher over last year,  71%  of 35–54-year-olds also are heading to a venue, while just half ( 50% ) of Americans over the age of 55 plan to purchase event tickets this year (up two points).

When it comes to their ticketed event preference, more than half of Americans ( 52% ) are likely to attend ticketed concerts, festivals or performing arts events this year, followed by 43% who are likely to attend sporting events.

“Ticketed events continue to set the stage for American travel,’” said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. “If you plan to build a trip around an event, ask your ticketing provider about event ticket insurance which may reimburse you up to 100% of non-refundable ticket costs if a covered situation prevents you from attending. Travel insurance can also help reimburse pre-paid, non-refundable travel costs, up to the plan’s maximum limit, if you have to cancel your trip for a reason covered by the policy.”

Event Ticket Protector from Allianz Partners can reimburse up to 100% of non-refundable ticket costs, up to $10,000, when an insured customer can’t attend their event for covered situations such as an unexpected, covered illness or certain non-voluntary job losses. Event Ticket Protector also provides customers with access to 24/7 assistance through the company’s event hotline. Event Ticket Protector is offered by leading event ticket providers.

The Vacation Confidence Index has been conducted each summer since 2009 by national polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Allianz Partners USA. A vacation is defined as a leisure trip of at least one week to a place that is 100 miles or more from home.

Allianz Partners offers travel protection plans through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies, hotel companies, cruise lines and directly to consumers.

Vacasa reveals summer travel trends and uncovers top, budget-friendly destinations…

Americans expect to spend a record-breaking $221 billion on summer vacations this…

Beaches and big cities reign for summer travel as Americans head to bucket-list…

34% jump in Americans headed to Europe: Allianz Partners

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What’s New for Meetings and Events in the Caribbean

Miguel Neves

July 11th, 2024 at 5:38 AM EDT

The Caribbean is a popular destination for meetings, events, and incentive travel. Here's a look at what's new.

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The Caribbean is an attractive destination primarily for U.S.-based planners booking meetings, events, and incentive travel. Its stunning natural beauty and diverse cultural experiences are a big draw.

Caribbean destinations such as Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Sint Maarten offer an enticing mix of pristine beaches, vibrant local cultures, and modern facilities.

Below is a destination update featuring new, refurbished and upcoming properties in the Caribbean.

This destination update is based on the Skift Meetings What’s New in Meetings and Incentive Travel 2024 report. The full report features 800+ updates on 200+ destinations. Download it here .

Click below to jump directly to a destination

Dominican republic, sint marteen.

• The all-new St. Regis Aruba will open in late 2024 and feature 252 guest rooms, including 52 suites. Highlights include private cabanas, infinity pools and custom spa experiences at Iridium Spa.
• The Iberostar Grand Aruba will open in October 2024. It will have 240 suites on Eagle Beach, a rooftop bar, three restaurants and a spa.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort opened recently. It features 330 suites and almost 4,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Guests enjoy direct access to beach palapas via a private tunnel.
• British Colonial Hilton Nassau has reopened following a $50 million refurbishment. The hotel in the historic Old Fort of Nassau offers 288 guest rooms. It also boasts 18,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space for groups of up to 800 guests.
• Pendry Barbados is set to debut in 2026 in St. Peter, on the Caribbean island’s west coast. It will feature 74 newly designed beachfront guest rooms, a private marina, and multiple signature dining concepts. The hotel will debut alongside Pendry Residences Barbados .
• The Rif at Mangrove Beach Corendon Curaçao All-Inclusive opened in December 2023 and features 385 rooms, including some swim-up rooms. It is connected to the adjacent Mangrove Beach Corendon Curacao All-Inclusive Resort.
• InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa opened recently and is located along Douglas Bay . A conversion and revamp of a Kempinski resort, it will open with 151 guest rooms as well as four pools, a spa, a fitness center and 8,500 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
• Santo Domingo Marriott Hotel Piantini recently opened in the center of Santo Domingo . It has 207 guest rooms and suites with city skyline views. The hotel houses the city’s largest ballroom, which has nearly 10,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space and five breakout rooms.
• Kimpton Las Mercedes has recently opened, set within a 16th-century structure and will feature 130 guest rooms, including eight expansive rooftop suites and three meeting rooms that can hold up to 300 people.
• The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort & Residences is opening in early 2025, offering 200 guest rooms and suites with ocean views, the iconic St. Regis Butler Service, and a world-class golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus.
• Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resort is a brand-new 502-room all-inclusive resort located on a half-mile stretch of pristine beachfront in the Dominican Republic, expected to open later this year. 
• W Punta Cana, All-Inclusive is set to open in 2025 in Uvero Alto. This all-inclusive , adults-only property will feature 349 guestrooms (including multiple suites) with balconies and private plunge pools. The hotel plans to offer adult-oriented programming, including a spa with 11 treatment rooms, a retail area, three pools with pool bars, and 11 F&B outlets.
• The Six Senses La Sagesse just opened, set between the ocean and a protected cove on the southern part of the island. A total of 56 two-level pool suites and 15 villas extend across 38 acres, including Earth Lab, a center for engagement and innovation where guests can learn about the natural world firsthand.
• JW Marriott St. Maarten Beach Resort & Spa opened recently on Dawn Beach in St. Maarten, on the former Westin Dawn Beach site, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. It offers 200 guest rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space, along with five dining options.

Photo credit: Omar Eagle / Unsplash

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RNC schedule: Major speakers, events and when Trump will accept the nomination

From july 15 to 18, republican lawmakers, delegates and other party figures will descend on the fiserv forum in milwaukee, wisconsin to officially crown trump the nominee and see him announce his running mate, article bookmarked.

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The 2024 Republican National Convention is now just days away – meaning Donald Trump will soon officially become the party’s presidential nominee in the 2024 race.

The twice-impeached convicted felon breezed through the GOP primary races, beating out competitors and amassing far greater than the required number of delegates he needed to secure the nomination.

Now, from July 15 to 18, Republican lawmakers, delegates and other party figures will descend on the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , to officially crown Trump the nominee and see the former president declare his chosen running mate .

Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming convention – such a hot ticket in Republican circles than even Melania Trump might turn up .

Who are the major speakers?

The RNC has not yet released a detailed schedule of speakers but the convention has historically provided a moment for leading party figures and up-and-coming Republican lawmakers to get valuable airtime discussing some of the party’s biggest talking points.

RNC co-chair Lara Trump has also promised a number of surprise celebrity guest speakers this time around.

Among the famous faces expected to speak is model Amber Rose , former girlfriend of troubled rapper and one-time Trump ally Kanye West .

Donald Trump Jr will address the crowd on Wednesday , just before vice presidential contender JD Vance – a piece of scheduling regarded as good news for the latter’s veep prospects.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will also be speaking (although it was originally reported that he would not ) but former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is giving the whole affair a miss.

Both went up against Trump for the party nomination, before bowing out of the race when they failed to secure primary wins.

Sean O’Brien, leader of the powerful Teamsters union, will also take to the stage. He has reportedly also approached the Democratic Party about speaking at the DNC in August too.

What’s the theme?

The GOP will reportedly make beer a key theme of its convention in tribute to the host city famous for its breweries. A “Red, White and Brew” party will be held at Henry Maier Festival Park on Sunday before the convention gets underway to welcome delegates, politicians, volunteers and members of the media.

Republicans have meanwhile also announced daily themes for the convention tied to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Monday will be dedicated to events under the banner “Make America Wealthy Once Again”, Tuesday’s theme is “Make America Safe Again”, Wednesday’s is “Make America Strong Again” and Thursday’s is “Make America Great Once Again”.

The agenda will include formal policy sessions, meetings of the individual state delegations and events sponsored by organizations promoting various conservative causes, from Moms for Liberty and the American Jewish Committee to the Heritage Foundation , whose controversial Project 2025 proposal has sparked uproar in recent weeks.

There will also be film screenings, including the biopic Reagan starring Dennis Quaid, Theocracy of Terror: Murder, Oppression and the Rise of Iran’s Political Regime and Trump’s Rescue Mission: Saving America .

An official watch party will be held each day at the Drink Wisconsinbly Pub on 320 West Highland Avenue, across the street from the main venue, an arena normally home to the Milwaukee Bucks.

When will Trump accept the nomination?

Donald Trump will formally accept the nomination to be the Republican Party ’s 2024 presidential nominee on the final day of the convention: Thursday July 18.

He will then deliver a speech to the crowd of attendees, bringing the convention to a conclusion amid a deluge of patriotic red, white and blue balloons.

To date, it is not clear when Trump will announce his running mate at the event. However, he is expected to announce it on July 15 and he and his deputy are expected to be together for a “Strength in Unity” event on Wednesday and a “Freedom First” event on Thursday so it will have to happen before then.

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MICECON 2024 redefines the industry through tech innovation, diversity and inclusivity

A conference with a diversified experience.

By working closely with the venue host Clark Development Corporation (CDC), this year's MICECON of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) embraces technological innovation alongside diversity and inclusivity to redefine the MICE landscape in setting new approaches and executions of MICE events in the country. As the premier event for Meetings, Incentive travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE), the two-day conference challenges delegates to innovate and be creative as the Philippines positions itself as a premier MICE destination.

Following the theme, "MICE XD: Xperience Diversified," the conference provided interactive workshops and tech demos, networking opportunities, case studies and success stories, and visionary panel discussions toward a transformative experience for the delegates.

The conference featured the application of technological innovations that can streamline event and incentive travel planning, enhance attendee and visitor engagement, and customize travel tours. The latest advancements in event technology include AI-powered matchmaking, robotics for MICE event logistics, and immersive virtual experience the blur the lines between in-person and digital attendance.

The event also focused on fostering diversity in the industry by overcoming unconscious biases, creating inclusive spaces for all attendees, and adding inclusive practices to drive creativity and innovation in event design.

In MICE planning, speakers discussed sustainable event practices, ethical considerations, and responsible event management from eco-friendly venues to accessibility for all participants.

To enhance the MICE experience, participants were toured inside the Clark Freeport Zone, joined the corporate social responsibility activities, immersed in the cultural and culinary experience, and encouraged to be creative and show artistic expression as they attended the sessions.

In her welcome message on July 11, CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera underscored the capacity of the Clark Freeport Zone in hosting MICE events and the development plan to construct a convention and cultural center with an estimated 5,000 capacity in a 5-hectare property. She also shared the expansion projects of locators such as Hilton, Wyndham, and Hann hotels to improve their accommodation and facilities for MICE events.

TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor-Nograles expressed gratitude to CDC for their partnership in hosting the conference that gathered 750 participants and highlighted Kapampangan culture and hospitality.

MICECON 2024 also marked the launch of the "MICE Philippines: We Take Your Business to Heart" initiative that represents the collaborative effort between TPB, the private sector, and government bodies "to attract more local and international MICE organizers to our shores," said Montemayor Nograles.

In her keynote speech, Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco highlighted the pivotal role of MICECON in driving economic growth and cultural exchange. She also lauded the support of the national government and effort of the TPB in addressing the challenges involving accessibility, connectivity, and opportunities to establish a resilient, sustainable, and competitive tourism industry that showcases the country's rich culture, heritage, and identity.

MICECON will run in Clark Freeport Zone until July 12, 2024.