incentive travel in hospitality

• Incentive Travel

25 / 09 / 2023

What Is Incentive Travel? (Explained With 7 Examples)

In today's competitive business landscape, organizations are continually seeking innovative ways to motivate their employees and drive success. One such strategy that has gained immense popularity in recent years is incentive travel. Let’s delve into the world of incentive travel, explore what it is, how it compares to cash bonuses, its impact on employee motivation, and its significance for organizational goals. We'll also discuss the different types of incentive travel, the target audience for such programs, their frequency, and whether you should create a plan in-house or collaborate with an agency like MICEHospitality. Additionally, we'll provide you with a useful checklist for creating an effective incentive travel plan and share some inspiring examples of successful incentive travel programs.

What is Incentive Tour?

Incentive tour is a powerful motivational tool used by organizations to reward and recognize their top-performing employees. It involves offering a travel experience as a reward for achieving specific performance goals or targets. Unlike cash bonuses, which often get absorbed into routine expenses, incentive tour offers a memorable and highly motivating experience that employees can cherish for a lifetime.

The concept of incentive tour is rooted in the idea that employees who feel valued and appreciated for their contributions are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work. It goes beyond the traditional approach of monetary compensation and taps into the fundamental human desire for experiences, adventure, and personal growth.

Incentive Tour vs. Cash Bonus

The debate between incentive tour and cash bonus is a common one in the realm of employee motivation. While both approaches have their merits, incentive tour stands out for several reasons. First and foremost, it provides a tangible and exciting reward that goes beyond monetary compensation. When employees are offered a chance to embark on an all-expenses-paid trip to a dream destination, it creates a sense of anticipation and excitement that money alone cannot match.

Moreover, incentive tour offers a unique opportunity for team building and bonding among employees. When colleagues travel together, they form stronger connections and develop a deeper sense of camaraderie, which can positively impact workplace dynamics. Cash bonuses, on the other hand, do little to foster such relationships.

In addition to the tangible rewards, incentive tour offers intangible benefits that can have a lasting impact on employees. Travel experiences often lead to personal growth, cultural enrichment, and the creation of cherished memories. These aspects contribute to an employee's overall well-being and happiness, which, in turn, can enhance their job satisfaction and performance.

When employees return from an incentive trip, they often bring back newfound energy and enthusiasm to the workplace. This boosts their morale and leads to increased productivity and a more positive work atmosphere. In contrast, cash bonuses, while appreciated, may not have the same long-term effect on employee motivation and engagement.

Why Incentive Trips Are Important: Impact on Employee Motivation and Organizational Goals

Incentive trips play a pivotal role in boosting employee motivation. They serve as concrete milestones that employees strive to achieve, knowing that their hard work will be rewarded with a remarkable travel experience. This anticipation can fuel increased productivity, engagement, and overall job satisfaction among employees.

From an organizational perspective, incentive travel aligns employee efforts with company goals. By setting specific performance targets tied to the trip, businesses can channel their workforce's energy towards achieving strategic objectives. Whether it's increasing sales, improving customer satisfaction, or enhancing productivity, incentive travel programs can be tailored to support various organizational priorities.

Types of Incentive Travel

Incentive travel programs come in various forms, each catering to different employee preferences and organizational budgets. Here are the most common types:

All-Expense-Paid Trips: These are the most extravagant incentive travel programs, covering everything from flights and accommodation to meals and activities. They offer employees a worry-free experience, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the destination.

Just Stay Incentives: In this type of program, employees are rewarded with a complimentary stay at a luxurious resort or hotel. While it doesn't include travel expenses, it still provides a relaxing and rejuvenating experience.

Just Travel: Here, the focus is solely on the travel aspect. Employees receive travel vouchers or points that they can use to plan their dream vacations. This option offers flexibility and allows individuals to choose destinations that resonate with their interests.

Adventure-Based Incentives: For employees seeking thrill and adventure, organizations can offer incentive programs that include activities such as zip-lining, hiking, or water sports. These programs appeal to those with a sense of adventure and a love for the outdoors.

For Whom Should You Run an Incentive Travel Program

Incentive travel programs are versatile and can be tailored to suit various industries and roles. They are particularly effective for:

Sales Teams: Rewarding top-performing salespeople with incentive trips can drive revenue growth and motivate others to excel.

Customer Service Teams: Recognizing outstanding customer service representatives can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Managers and Executives: Providing leadership with incentive travel opportunities can strengthen their commitment to the organization's success.

Cross-Functional Teams: Incentive travel programs can also be designed to encourage collaboration and teamwork among employees from different departments, fostering a more cohesive and innovative workplace culture.

How Often Should You Run an Incentive Travel Program

The frequency of incentive travel programs can vary depending on your organization's goals and resources. Some companies offer annual trips to maintain consistent motivation, while others may opt for quarterly or biannual programs for more frequent rewards. The key is to strike a balance that keeps employees engaged without overextending the budget.

Annual programs work well for organizations with stable financial resources and a larger workforce, as they can spread the costs over a longer period. Quarterly or biannual programs, on the other hand, are suitable for smaller companies or those with budget constraints.

When determining the frequency, it's essential to consider the nature of your industry and the typical sales or performance cycles. For example, in industries with seasonal fluctuations, it may be more meaningful to schedule incentive trips during off-peak periods to maintain motivation year-round.

In-House Planning vs. Agency Collaboration

When it comes to planning your incentive travel program, you have two primary options: handling it in-house or partnering with a specialized agency like MICEHospitality. Each approach has its advantages.

In-House Planning

Advantages:

Greater Control: Planning in-house allows for complete control over every aspect of the program, from destination selection to itinerary planning.

Customization: You can tailor the program to align with your company culture, values, and employee preferences.

Cost Control: In-house planning can sometimes be more cost-effective, as you have direct control over expenses.

Considerations:

Resource Intensive: Planning incentive travel programs can be time-consuming and require significant resources, including staff time and expertise.

Logistics: Managing the logistics of travel, accommodation, and activities can be complex, especially for large groups.

Agency Collaboration

Expertise: Specialized agencies like MICEHospitality have industry-specific knowledge, contacts, and experience to ensure a seamless and memorable travel experience.

Streamlined Logistics: Agencies handle all the logistical details, from negotiating with vendors to managing travel arrangements.

Time Savings: Partnering with an agency frees up your internal resources, allowing your team to focus on other critical tasks.

Cost: Agency services come at a fee, so it's essential to weigh the cost against the convenience and expertise they provide.

The choice between in-house planning and agency collaboration ultimately depends on your organization's resources, expertise, and specific goals. Whichever route you choose, meticulous planning and attention to detail are crucial for a successful incentive travel program.

Checklist for Creating an Effective Incentive Travel Plan

Creating a successful incentive travel plan requires meticulous planning and attention to detail. Here's a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the process:

Define Clear Goals: Begin by clearly outlining the performance targets and metrics that employees must meet to qualify for the incentive trip. These goals should align with your organization's broader objectives.

Select the Right Destination: Choose a destination that aligns with the interests and preferences of your employees. Consider factors such as travel time, cultural appeal, and accessibility.

Budget Wisely: Determine a budget that allows for a memorable experience without straining your resources. Consider all costs, including travel, accommodation, meals, activities, and incentives.

Engage Employees: Involve employees in the planning process to ensure their preferences and needs are considered. Conduct surveys or focus groups to gather input on destination choices, travel dates, and activities.

Design an Engaging Itinerary: Craft an itinerary that strikes a balance between work-related activities (e.g., recognition events, meetings) and leisure activities (e.g., sightseeing, team-building exercises). Ensure that the itinerary caters to various interests and preferences.

Consider Logistics: Pay meticulous attention to travel arrangements, including flight bookings, airport transfers, and ground transportation. Additionally, carefully select accommodations that offer comfort and convenience.

Safety and Health Measures: In the post-pandemic world, prioritize the safety and well-being of your employees. Implement health and safety protocols, and stay updated on travel advisories and restrictions.

Communication: Clearly communicate the program's goals, rules, and rewards to all eligible employees. Maintain open lines of communication throughout the planning process and provide regular updates.

Recognition and Awards: Plan recognition events during the trip to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of participants. Consider awards or certificates to commemorate their success.

Feedback Mechanism: After the trip, solicit feedback from participants to evaluate the program's effectiveness. Use this feedback to make improvements for future incentive travel programs.

Evaluate ROI: Assess the return on investment (ROI) of the incentive travel program by measuring its impact on employee performance, engagement, and organizational goals.

By following this comprehensive checklist, you can create an incentive travel program that not only outranks competitors but also elevates your organization's performance and employee satisfaction.

Successful Incentive Tourism Examples

To inspire your incentive travel planning, here are some real-life examples of companies that have executed remarkable incentive travel programs:

Reliance Industries Limited

Program Highlights: Reliance Industries, one of India's largest conglomerates, runs incentive travel programs for its employees to recognize exceptional performance. The company offers all-expense-paid trips to both domestic and international destinations. These trips often include luxury accommodations, cultural experiences, and team-building activities.

Tata Motors

Program Highlights: Tata Motors, a subsidiary of Tata Group, is known for its innovative incentive travel initiatives. The company organizes trips for top-performing employees, which include visits to manufacturing plants, international auto shows, and adventure getaways. These programs align with Tata Motors' commitment to recognizing and nurturing talent.

Program Highlights: Infosys, a global IT services company, conducts incentive travel programs for its employees in India. These programs typically feature a mix of professional development, such as training sessions and conferences, along with leisure activities at picturesque destinations. Infosys emphasizes the holistic development of its workforce through these initiatives.

Program Highlights: IBM India, a subsidiary of IBM Corporation, offers incentive travel opportunities for its employees. These programs often include participation in international conferences, workshops, and recognition events at exotic locations. IBM India's incentive travel initiatives align with its commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.

Program Highlights: Accenture, a global consulting and technology services company with a significant presence in India, runs incentive travel programs for its Indian employees. These programs may involve global recognition events, conferences, and networking opportunities held in desirable international locations. Accenture's incentive travel initiatives aim to reward high performance and promote career growth.

Microsoft India

Program Highlights: Microsoft India, a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, operates a variety of incentive travel programs for its employees. These programs offer opportunities to attend international conferences, recognition events, and leadership development seminars in attractive destinations. Microsoft India emphasizes employee engagement and professional growth through these initiatives.

HCL Technologies

Program Highlights: HCL Technologies, a leading IT services and consulting company based in India, has implemented incentive travel programs as part of its employee recognition strategy. These programs often include global forums, seminars, and recognition events that allow employees to network with international counterparts. HCL Technologies values employee empowerment and growth through these initiatives.

These incentive tourism examples illustrate how both Indian companies and multinational corporations operating in India prioritize incentive tour as a means of recognizing and motivating their employees. By providing employees with opportunities to travel, learn, and bond with colleagues, these companies not only boost performance but also foster a positive work culture that values achievement and personal development.

In conclusion, incentive travel is a potent tool for enhancing employee motivation, aligning organizational goals, and ultimately driving success. Whether you choose to offer all-expense-paid trips or travel vouchers, the key is to create a program that resonates with your employees and inspires them to excel. By following the checklist and drawing inspiration from successful examples, you can craft an incentive travel program that not only outranks competitors but also elevates your organization's performance and employee satisfaction.

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Incentive Travel: the Best Way to Motivate Your Employees

Business travel isn’t quite back to pre-pandemic levels the way its complement, leisure travel, is. But there is a growing realisation among senior level executives that the strategic use of employee rewards can  increase profitability . And with much talk the past few years about increasing travel by  outlets like Forbes , it’s no surprise that incentive travel is on the rise in the corporate sector. But does your organisation really need one? Keep reading to learn the basics of incentive travel with tips and tricks from professional incentive travel planners you won’t find anywhere else.

What is incentive travel?

Incentive travel is any trip paid for by a company as a reward for employees with stellar performance. It’s often used to motivate and reward employees  or partners.

Getaways typically last three or more days. Activities include everything from team-building exercises to networking opportunities to and free time to explore the destination.

And while they can be given to any department, incentive travel is most commonly used to motivate sales teams. As for who pays the bill, the company typically funds the majority of the expenses. Some incentive trips are offered separately or in combination with other perks.

Cvent interviewed Susan Shure of  Susan Shure Travel  who gave us some more thoughts on incentive travel.

“Incentive travel is also known in a lot of companies as employee reward programmes,” she told us. “Companies can reward employees for years of service, employee of the month or year, and more. These rewards can include trips abroad [to places like] Europe, Caribbean all inclusive, [and] Hawaii, cruises and more.” They may include corporate meetings or some work-related events in addition to the vacation-like itinerary.

Incentive travel has been around since the 1970s, but it is often misunderstood due to the wide variety of forms it can take. But as non-monetary rewards, such as increased paid PTO, are becoming more prevalent in the corporate world, it’s no surprise that there’s a newfound interest in creating programmes like these.

The incentive travel industry as a whole is rebounding from its recession years ago, largely due to the backlash it received from the media and politicians, and from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now with the looming economic recession, non-cash incentives can be a great way to retain employees.

And it’s clear why.

Incentive programmes offer a lot of benefits

Like other perks, incentive travel is used to boost employee engagement and productivity. It works by encouraging employees to improve their performance and reach goals. This is especially motivating for younger and mid-career employees.

As of 2020, Millennials make up  half of the world’s workforce . And if there’s one thing Millennials love, it’s travel. They’ve reportedly made travel  more of a priority than any generation before them . So it’s easy to see why incentive programmes are a great fit for most organisations.

Not only that but a travel programme helps organisations create a culture of collaboration and commitment to a shared mission. Unifying teams through experiences rather than monetary incentives alone promotes better relationships with the company and positive associations with the business they work for.

This level of customisation is one of the most attractive benefits of incentive travel. Not only do businesses have control over what activities they offer but they can also stay within budget and book for their specific party size.

Ni Wayan, Editor and Contributor at  Balipedia , adds that the benefits for employers don’t stop there. “I believe that incentive travel is one of the most famous non-cash prizes that’s used by companies to motivate sales staff, partners, and even consumers to greatly improve sales, keep their best reps from going, and motivate the remaining sales staff to pick it up,” says Wayan.  

Incentive travel is also a great way to tie in your company’s values. Christopher Hill of  Hands Up Incentives  told Cvent via email that his company “specialises in sustainable incentive trips that include a CSR component in order to engage employees, bring them closer together, and enhance their reputation.”

There are many examples of incentive travel

Shure shared with Cvent the following examples of incentive travel packages she has organised:

● An all-expenses-paid trip to Bungalows Key Largo ● All-expenses-paid trip to Maui for a week ● A three-day cruise to the Bahamas ● Four nights at an all-inclusive hotel or resort

And Hill provided another example of a Hawaiian incentive travel package they arranged recently. It “included two days of building a community cultural centre in a low-income part of Honolulu.” They also booked a luxury hotel and gala dinners for the group.

As for activities, Hill said they enjoyed everything from “cage shark swimming to mountain biking to a private tour of Pearl Harbor”.

Is incentive travel really worth the investment?

The return on investment that companies see in their travel programmes is often measured in terms of profitability. This method helps determine if the programme is working and, in turn, generating higher profits.

Many business owners are not convinced that paying for a perk is worth the intangible value it brings. Nevertheless, companies that choose to create incentive travel programmes gain increased employee engagement, satisfaction, and profitability.

These can be measured through various metrics by department or by employee survey. So it is, in fact, more substantial than most executives believe.

And according to the IRF's  Anatomy of a Successful Incentive Travel Program me , “Examining the tenure and company performance ratings of 105 of the employees who earned the incentive trip, researchers found that 55% of incentive travel earners had top performance ratings and tenure of four years or more, showing a very real correlation between incentives, longevity and quality.” In other words, not only are incentive travel programmes fun, they’re also impactful at a high level.

In a nutshell: incentive travel is an investment that's made to maximise business results.

Get to know the bleisure traveller

Wondering how to plan an incentive travel programme employees will love?

It takes a little planning and forethought, but the process is relatively straightforward.

1. Have a vision

Set clear, achievable goals that are aligned with strategic business objectives. These goals should be measurable and specific. Even if your company isn’t ready to develop an entire programme, you could still offer smaller perks such as plane tickets and a hotel voucher.

2. Know your team

Planners will also need to have a strong understanding of what motivates their employees. It should feel like an award that employees wholeheartedly respond to, so much so that they feel encouraged to develop new skills and ideas to unlock this achievement.

3. Make everything trackable

Adhere to a consistent communication style. Whether it’s through a software system or an interactive leader board, employees must be able to follow their progress and prove it through detailed records.

4. Promote it often

Supporting the travel programme is an integral part of a company’s strategy. It should be promoted regularly and celebrated at all levels. During this qualification period, team members will work hard to reach their goals. The continuous effort and excitement management puts into building up the anticipation for the trip will motivate employees even more.

5. Evaluate your programme

Continual evaluation of your programme rewards and structure is key to sustaining this strategy long term. Use a combination of KPI data linked to goals and an end-of-event assessment to determine if the programme is meeting its intended purpose. Simply by asking attendees to rate the events and their overall experience, companies can easily measure the programme's success.

6. Reap benefits long term

In that same study conducted by IRF, employees who earned an incentive getaway continued to perform at an elite level after they returned which was inspired by their trip.

Why should you partner with a professional to create your programme?

Companies like Shure’s help businesses organise, book, and manage incentive travel. “Susan Shure Travel can put together any kind of employee incentive you want,” says Shure. “We can even arrange for you to charter a cruise ship as a company incentive.” As you can tell by now, the only limit to incentive travel is your imagination.

Follow the road less travelled to secure deals

In an email to Cvent,  Broke Backpacker  Founder and CEO Will Halton said that there is one often overlooked department of any travel brand you should contact directly when looking for affordable incentive trips. “If you are passionate about travel, look to speak to the marketing team of certain companies to see whether you can work together. Please note that this does[n’t] mean free stays or travel. It means creating a relationship which will help you explore the destination but also help the company to attract new audiences. A relationship is way more valuable in the long term [than] a discounted stay for one or two nights.”

In other words, this long-term strategy is great for securing travel incentives as long as you develop a network of hospitality marketers.

Cvent is a leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider with more than 4,500 employees and nearly 21,000 customers worldwide.

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What is MICE? (Meetings, incentives, conferences & exhibitions)

August 20, 2020 •

3 min reading

Putting the nice into MICE

Nothing to do with pest control, everything to do with business-minded travel. Put simply, MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions. It is business tourism at its finest, aimed at bringing together top professionals from every sector in an enhanced, tailor-made hospitality setting.

What is MICE?

Meetings are typically held in hotel conference rooms or at convention centers. They are single-day events that bring together a group of professionals to address a key challenge or set goals for the organization.

Incentives are travel rewards a company may provide in return for excellent professional performance from individual employees, groups or partners. A few days in a resort, hotel or popular hospitality venue at your company’s expense does wonders for employee loyalty.

Conferences

Conferences take meetings to the next level and are designed for a large corporate group to share knowledge across several days. They often include not only key members of the organization, but also guest speakers and the general public.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions are essentially trade shows where an organization promotes its key products and services to the public. They are hyper-focused events that drum up business and help employees to network and build lasting professional relationships.

MICE services: Revenue implications

Implementing tailor-made MICE services into a hotel infrastructure is a way of securing additional long-term valuable growth. The latest Convention Industry Council report claimed that 85% of meetings in the U.S. are conducted at venues with lodging, generating more than 275 million room nights annually. The expenditure of MICE travelers is much higher than leisure travelers, with profitable customers coming from the world of IT, banking, pharmaceuticals, retail and hospitality.

In brief, hotel meetings and corporate events are great way to boost revenue and secure those extra bookings. Lastly, developing MICE services is the perfect opportunity to enhance a hotel’s reputation and profile, besides its profitability.

MICE: Required skills

The expertise required to excel in MICE tourist management is based on interpersonal, creative, organizational and technical skills. Innovative creativity is needed to design original event concepts, select the right venues and market effectively. The strong practical component must include technical know-how ranging from audio-visual dexterity to accessing fast-track visa apps. Soft skills such as patience, empathy, teamwork and problem-solving are vital if, for example, a large traveling party from a culturally-specific region are to be greeted with the appropriate welcome drink.

This niche hospitality market has seen hotels having to create jobs for innovative meeting planners and professional conference services staff, as well as develop industry-specific programs to add new dimensions to their overall service infrastructure. In some cases, recruiting in-house can prove difficult if all competencies are to be met, hence the rise in Destination Management Companies (DMC) that have started to spring up worldwide.

A DMC aims to offer the full range logistic services in their specialist destinations: meet & greet, transfers & transportation, hotel accommodation, restaurants, activities, excursions, conference venues, themed events and gala dinners. They are often able to provide preferential rates based on the buying power that they have with their preferred suppliers.

MICE: Global events

A number of global events focus on MICE travel, especially the incentive niche, many of which are organized by Questex Travel Group (formerly MEET). Of the annual events, these are some of the most prominent in the industry around the world:

• Global Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange (GMITE): Formerly known as Incentive Travel Exchange (ITE).
• Latin America Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange (LAMITE): Working to connect business opportunities in Latin America.
• Caribbean Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange (CMITE): The island version of the ITE.

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Companies used to rely on lavish trips and excursions to reward top performers. Event planners and leaders share how the pandemic has reshaped incentive travel.

• As nonessential travel continues to be put on pause amid COVID-19, the future of leisure trips as corporate and business incentives hangs in limbo. 
• Companies normally would use these multiday conferences at luxury resorts to pamper their employees, but now during the pandemic they're left searching for new ways to incentivize their top workers.
• Monetary rewards and vouchers for individual trips have temporarily taken the place of all-inclusive hotels, but experts believe that corporate travel will quickly bounce back once it's safe to travel.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

In February, Dan Bailey, president of the online marketplace WikiLawn Lawn Care , was looking forward to the company's annual incentive trip to Las Vegas. The multiday gathering at the Waldorf Astoria was a chance for the seven staff members to meet with management and discuss plans for the coming year. But it was also a chance for everyone to cut loose and have a good time. Between meetings, attendees would go to shows and the Grand Canyon and have time to visit the stores and casinos. 

"Many of our employees have never been to Vegas, and it's just a nice, self-contained city to get away from things for a while," he said. "There's a sense of excess there that feels luxurious, which we felt our employees deserved."  

But that trip, like so many others, eventually became a casualty of the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic has left thousands of companies grappling with how to handle incentive travel now and in the future, and what they can do to provide motivational rewards in the meantime. 

Right now, the incentive travel industry looks bleak. Ellie MacPherson, senior vice president of Canada operations for Creative Group , an incentive trip, meeting, and events management company, said that the majority of her clients rebooked programs from March to June and even to very late in the third and fourth quarters of the year, with a higher majority moving into 2021. 

Though the loss of incentive trips is disappointing for employees, it's hit the hospitality industry's bottom line hard. Although incentive travel accounts for only 7% of business event spending, it's responsible for $75 billion in spending globally each year, according to a 2018 report from the Events Industry Council .

In addition, this type of travel has a strong trickle-down effect for local economies. While meetings and conferences may be mostly focused around a hotel or convention center, a hallmark of many incentive trips is the chance to learn about the community and local culture through things like side excursions to entertainment venues, guided tours of natural areas, or performances by traditional dancers and musicians. 

Incentive travel will be back — gradually

Tahira Endean, head of events for the global professional association Society of Incentive Travel Excellence , is very hopeful that incentive travel will make a comeback. 

"Virtual events are fantastic for information delivery and getting one to many messages across," she said. "But the reasons we go on incentive trips is because it drives experience, and experience drives memories, and memories are what drive us to be part of the greater good." 

MacPherson, too, believes incentive travel will return. There's something powerful about gathering like-minded leaders in person, she said.

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"It's almost like being with your tribe," she said. "We know there are a lot of repeat winners, so there are people looking for that [experience] every year. They look to be with their peers. They also look to be with the executives, and you don't get that by handing someone a check." 

But Chris K. Anderson, a professor at the School of Hotel Administration at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, worries that incentive travel won't make a full comeback for several years. This type of business travel typically correlates closely with the strength of the labor market; firms looking to boost morale and emphasize employee retention are more likely to offer lavish excursions. With unemployment at record highs , incentive travel will be a low priority for many firms. Companies may also struggle to afford extra travel, given the economic hit that many of them have taken. 

"I do agree that once it's safe to travel, incentive travel will come back because there's going to be a lot of pent-up demand for it," Anderson said. "Employees haven't been able to engage with their colleagues other than virtually. I do think there's going to be this real positive impact from firms that get back to incentive travel early." However, he predicted that leisure travel will recover first, then general business travel. Incentive travel may not return to its 2019 level until at least 2022, he said. 

If companies can't incentivize their employees with travel for the foreseeable future, what are they doing instead?

In an April study by the Incentive Research Foundation , 75% of survey respondents indicated that they were planning to do something else to incentivize winners whose trips had been postponed or canceled (the former being the more common occurrence). The top alternatives were offering merchandise or the ability to earn points to redeem merchandise, cash, individual travel or gift cards, and vouchers.  

"We do have a couple of clients that have looked at what we call individual performance solutions," MacPherson said. "That is the possibility to choose anything from merchandise to individual travel experience." Companies switching to merchandise incentives should consider electronics, including high-quality headphones, tablets or ereaders, portable speakers, and wireless charging pads, which are typically the most popular items. 

Individual travel experiences allow employees to travel on their own rather than participating in a group trip. That experience could be something close to home, MacPherson said, like a day at a local high-performance vehicle driving range or tickets to a major sporting event that's coming to town. It could also be an experience further away, such as passes to the Sundance Film Festival (once events like these open up) or a scuba diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef.  

The nice thing about these experiences is that people are typically given 36 months to redeem these experiences once they've earned them. "That gives individuals plenty of time to get past any COVID-19 fears," MacPherson said.  

Caveni Digital Solutions , a full-service digital agency, is currently offering a monetary incentive instead of its typical practice of sending employees to conferences and trainings designed to further their professional skills.  

"With all the volatility that surrounds daily life, a cash bonus is the best method we could think of to help our team, since it has the most direct impact on their daily wellbeing," said Alexander M. Kehoe, cofounder and operations director. "The reaction to this change has been very positive, and most people seem to be happy overall with the prospect of money going directly in to their pocket." The bonus is approximately equal to what the company would have spent per person on a trip, Kehoe said. 

Bailey of WikiLawn Lawn Care wanted to offer something to employees in light of the company's canceled Las Vegas trip. He's currently working on an "end of quarantine" care package that will include gift certificate to places like spas or hair salons. At some point, he hopes to take the money that would have been used for the trip and give it to people as a bonus. 

"I'd like to go back to offering incentive trips," Bailey said. "I think they're a fun, unique thing to offer employees and something everyone really looks forward to. It's a great bonding experience, too. I've forged lifelong friendships with people who were just coworkers previously by going on these trips." 

Watch: Here's what it's like to travel during the coronavirus outbreak

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Hospitality.today™

• Business Travel

Outlook strong for incentive travel sector

The number of people participating in incentive travel programs worldwide will grow by 61% in 2024, compared to 2019

These numbers highlight the effectiveness of incentive travel programs in attracting, retaining, and motivating talent, as well as shaping organizational culture and reputation. This is especially relevant in today's remote and hybrid work environment, as per IBTM World's 2023 Incentive Travel Report.

Key takeaways

• According to 66 percent of incentive travel agencies, benefits like inclusivity, peer relationships, and the option to bring a partner on trips are increasingly important to employees;
• Despite a resurgence, the industry faces challenges such as talent shortages, inflation, rising travel and supply chain costs, and tighter corporate budgets, resulting in fewer business trips and lower attendance at face-to-face events;
• Authenticity, wellness, and sustainability are driving a new generation of incentive travel programs that meet evolving workforce expectations.

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How hotels could miss out on return of lucrative incentive travel

Incentive travel — alongside its travel siblings meetings, conferences and events — took a hammering during the pandemic and were slower to return than leisure travel in its aftermath.

Things, however, are looking up especially with much of the world removing lockdown restrictions but that doesn’t mean returning consumer and business confidence will flow into growth for incentive travel, at least according to a new survey by Hospitality Insights parent company Questex and the Incentive Research Foundation

The good news: nearly two-thirds of the industry indicate incentive travel is trending up for 2022 and beyond, with 13% saying incentive travel will increase by 50% over the next 18 months.

The bad news: the industry appears very concerned with how hotels are going to maintain service levels.

Service levels are of great concern when thinking about the next 18 months. 54% of incentive planners cited the ability to maintain and deliver expected service levels as their primary concern.

Finding and hiring qualified staff was cited by 28%; having all hotel venues and service open and available was cited by 26%.

“The COVID, supply chain, or staffing shortage excuses is not something we want to hear today if we are paying the same cost or higher as pre-COVID,” one incentive planner noted

Labour drain

While the hotel industry may be struggling to replace the hundreds of thousands of workers that have left the industry since the pandemic, squaring that with reduced levels of service at the same or higher prices is difficult for both consumers and other travel sectors.

Only 49% of properties report they have achieved pre-COVID staffing levels. Another 38% are working to staff up over the next 6 months.

Not everyone shares this outlook, however. Speaking on a recent earnings call Marriott chief financial officer Lenny Oberg said the situation was improving.

“[O]ne of the things that I think is interesting is to look at the positions that we’re trying to fill if, for example, normal staffing levels were that we were trying to fill the final 95% to 100% of the positions we needed at the hotel level,” she said

“Right now, we’re at 93%. So it’s definitely improved. It is not back to where we were in ‘19 in terms of the labour shortage, but we’re definitely seeing steady improvement, and the wage increases have slowed.”

One of the major concerns for incentive planners is the speed with which hotels respond to RFPs. Of those surveyed 84% said they responded within a few days – a timeframe that meets the expectation of the industry.

The study was conducted from late April through June 2022. A total of 710 respondents completed the survey, represented four stakeholder groups, incentive planners / third party agency, hoteliers, tourism board/convention & visitors bureaus, and destination management companies.

Differing priorities

For those with a biggest stake in incentive travel e.g. convention bureaus or tourism boards, the sector is much more of a priority than for, say, the hotel industry. Even so, there will be hotels in certain markets that value it much more importantly.

And while it might not be the most important area, it is one CEOs value.

Speaking about the US market in particular on a recent earnings call, IHG CEO Keith Barr outlined his optimism.

"There remains further potential for business travel recovery, especially within the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions segment. And as with leisure demand, we see no indicators that the recovery trajectory is abating," he said.

Incentive Travel Recovery: A Systematic Literature Review

• First Online: 13 May 2023

Cite this chapter

• Magdalena Petronella Nellie Swart   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8414-2289 4 &
• Sunil Tiwari 5  

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Incentive travel research is considered to be less popular when compared with other business events or MICE sub-sectors. Although scholars investigated the impact of COVID-19 on MICE tourism, research related to the impact of COVID-19 on incentive travel recovery is yet to be conducted. Following a systematic literature review, this chapter compares the themes related to incentive travel recovery published by previous research scholars related to different dimensions of the incentive travel industry. Results indicated only three similar themes, namely, digital transformation , talent management and regulatory , emanating from the selected journal articles and web-based publications. Academic researchers favour areas related to digital transformation , the economic impact and financial incentives and marketing strategies when investigating the impact of COVID-19 on the MICE sector. The incentive travel industry prioritised discussions on risk and safety management , the value chain and destination selection and choice . Future research can explore the specific incentive travel market reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on digital transformation, economic impact and marketing strategies. These new insights can direct how incentive travel planners and scholars apply their resources in developing incentive travel recovery strategies and policies.

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Acknowledgement

This research was supported by Ms. Tes Proos from Crystal Events in Cape Town, South Africa. Ms. Proos is the SITE Africa President. She provided valuable insights into the research needs of the incentive industry and access to the relevant SITE publications published between 2020 and 2022.

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Magdalena Petronella Nellie Swart

Department of Tourism Studies, School of Business Studies, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, India

Sunil Tiwari

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Swart, M.P.N., Tiwari, S. (2023). Incentive Travel Recovery: A Systematic Literature Review. In: Dube, K., Kupika, O.L., Chikodzi, D. (eds) COVID-19, Tourist Destinations and Prospects for Recovery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28340-6_15

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Chapter 6. Events, Culture, Heritage, and Sport (Entertainment)

6.2 Meetings, Conventions, and Incentive Travel (MCIT)

According to the Meetings Mean Business Canada Coalition (MMB Canada), business events are big business. In 2017, Canadian business events:

• Delivered at least $33 billion to Canada’s economy
• Created over 229,000 employment opportunities
• Ranked 6th out of 50 countries in economic impact

The business events industry in Canada is as big as agriculture and forestry, and it provides nearly twice the number of jobs that telecommunications and utilities do (MMB Canada, 2017).

Take a Closer Look: Meetings Mean Business Canada Coalition (MMB Canada) Canada Economic Impact Study  

To learn more about the impact of business events in Canada, watch the MMB Canada Economic Impact Study video .

There are several types of business events. Conventions generally have very large attendance, and are held annually in different locations. They also often require a bidding process. Conferences have specific themes, and are held for smaller, focused groups. Trade shows/trade fairs can be stand-alone events, or adjoin a convention or conference. Finally, seminars, workshops, and retreats are examples of smaller-scale MCIT events.

Spotlight On: The Meetings Mean Business Canada Coalition

The Meetings Mean Business Canada Coalition (MMB Canada) , the operating name of the Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada (BEICC), is the national voice of the meetings and events industry in Canada, comprising organizations dedicated to the betterment and promotion of the meetings and events industry. For more information, visit the MMB Canada website .

As meeting planners became more creative, meeting and convention delegates became more demanding about meeting sites. No longer are hotel meeting rooms and convention centres the only type of location used; non-traditional venues have adapted and become competitive in offering services for meeting planners. These include architectural spaces such as airplane hangars, warehouses or rooftops, and experiential venues such as aquariums, museums and galleries (Cornacchio, 2019).

Spotlight On: Meeting Professionals International

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) , founded in 1972, is a membership-based professional development organization for meeting and event planners. For more information, visit the Meeting Professionals International website or the Meeting Professionals International: BC Chapter website .

Incentive Travel

For many people new to the travel industry, incentive travel is an unfamiliar concept. The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) has explained that incentive travel is “a self-funding marketing activity that employs unique travel experiences to reward people who achieve exceptional business performance” (2020). Unlike other types of business events, incentive travel is focused on fun, food, and other activities rather than education and work.

Sectors that use incentive travel include insurance, finance, technology, pharmaceutical, and auto manufacturers and dealers. The incentive travel market is extremely competitive and demanding. When rewarding high-performance staff, Fortune 500-type companies are looking for the most luxurious and unique travel experiences and products available.

Take a Closer Look: SITE Crystal Awards

SITE holds annual awards for the best in unique, memorable incentive experiences. In 2019, the winner for Most Effective Incentive/Marketing Campaign, “2018 Living Legends Incentive Program” was the Creative Group. To see the list of other winners, and for more information, visit the SITE Crystal Awards website .

Convention Centres

No discussion of business events would be complete without noting the importance of convention centres — very large venues that can host thousands of delegates.

Key success factors for convention venues include:

• Air access to the destination
• Quality hotels close to or adjacent to the venue
• Quality venue space
• Relative cost of the destination and venue
• Attractiveness of the destination

BC is home to a number of convention centres, including those in Kelowna, Nanaimo, Penticton, Prince George, and Victoria. The signature venue for the province is the Vancouver Convention Centre, which underwent a significant expansion prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Spotlight On: The Vancouver Convention Centre

The Vancouver Convention Centre is owned and managed by the BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), a Crown corporation. Its team of approximately 800 staff collaborate to host an exciting schedule of year-round events. With its unique “scratch kitchen” that uses fresh, local products, an extensive recycling program, and its legendary “green roof,” the centre is known for its beautiful views and commitment to sustainability. For more information, visit the Vancouver Convention Centre website.

With an understanding of the scope of festivals and events, as well as examples of the venues that host them, let’s turn our attention to the diverse number of attractions that contribute to the tourism entertainment sector.

Business events that generally have very large attendance, are held annually in different locations each year, and usually require a bidding process.

Business events that have specific themes and are held for smaller groups than conventions.

Allows a range of vendors to showcase their products and services either to other businesses or to consumers. Can be a standalone event or adjoin a convention or conference.

A membership-based professional development organization for meeting meeting and event planners.

A global network of professionals dedicated to the recognition and development of motivational incentives and performance improvement.

A global management tool that uses an exceptional travel experience to motivate and/or recognize participants for increased levels of performance in support of organizational goals.

Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC - 2nd Edition Copyright © 2015, 2020, 2021 by Morgan Westcott and Wendy Anderson, Eds is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

incentive travel

Anatomy of a successful incentive travel program.

by Incentive Research Foundation

Anatomy Of a Successful Incentive Travel Program White Paper

Irfincentivetravelcasestudy_final, the project at a glance, defining successful incentive travel, organizational benefits and results, relationship to tenure, performance and noi, economic impact, anecdotal evidence, the role of hosts, application of the pibi model, about the irf.

Historically, organizations have used rewards and recognition programs to help them achieve business goals and objectives. Despite the importance of the incentive market to the hospitality industry, many lawmakers and media figures in 2009 criticized the use of corporate funds for group travel designed to motivate employees. While the criticism may have been directed at particular companies, the overall tone in the media caused some companies to cancel and/or eliminate incentive travel programs (ITPs). These actions often failed to consider the multitude of benefits that accrue not only to the participants but also to the organization’s culture, morale and productivity. Additionally, the overall effect for destinations that normally host incentive travel has been devastating, as evidenced by the layoff of hospitality employees throughout the industry.

To provide a clearer picture of the broad, positive impact incentive travel programs have – both on participants and on those tangentially involved in an incentive travel program – the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) undertook an in-depth analysis of one company’s successful, long-standing use of incentive travel as a motivational tool. Contrary to the viewpoint recently presented in the media, this research concluded that incentive travel programs have a strong impact on not only individual motivation, retention and performance, but also on organizational culture and business results. Equally important, the research found that the program studied had significant qualitative and quantitative impact on the program destination’s economy and service providers.

The goal of this study was to document the “anatomy” of a successful incentive travel program by conducting an end-to-end study of an appropriate company who has an incentive travel program in place. The research team assured the chosen company of confidentiality and anonymity, so the featured company is referred to as “XYZ Corporation” throughout this paper. The company has several thousand employees, is well established and has had an incentive travel program in place for 18 years.

The research team examined the content and format of XYZ Corporation’s 2008 incentive travel program, conducted qualitative interviews with associated industry professionals (management, participants, earners and service providers) and analyzed primary data such as employee performance records, employee tenure, net operating income per employee and post-event survey data.

Specific objectives of the project were to:

• Define incentive travel programs, their purpose and key components
• Identify the impact incentive travel had on all stakeholders
• Evaluate both qualitative and qualitative success indicators
• Identify the perceptions of the incentive travel program and determine if there was a difference in management’s perspective and the employees’ perspective
• Determine the incentive travel program’s value to the destination and other product and service providers.

[ return to top ]

Although incentive travel has been used as a management tool for decades, it is often not fully understood or adequately defined. A key part of this effort was to produce a solid, concise description of the topic to be researched. Prior to conducting an in-depth investigation of the designated incentive travel program, researchers built on previous definitions and defined a successful ITP as:

“A motivational tool to enhance productivity or achieve business objectives in which participants earn the reward based on a specific level of achievement set forth by management. Earners are rewarded with a trip and the program is designed to recognize earners for their achievements.”

The deep analysis conducted in the research also uncovered five essential elements that, when combined, formed the core of the successful travel program. In essence, these were the items that made the program itself successful:

• The earning and selection criteria for the reward were clearly tied to business objectives
• Communication about the program and the progress participants were making toward goals was clear and consistent. Anticipation built throughout the year and kept employees motivated to achieve their objectives
• The design of the travel program, including desirable destinations, interactive sessions and leisure time for the earners, added to the overall excitement
• Executives and key managers acted as hosts to reinforce the company’s commitment to the reward program and recognition
• The company kept detailed records that prove the productivity of the earners and their contributions to the company’s financial performance.

Additionally, to maximize the benefit of an incentive travel program the research concluded the event should include:

• recognition of earners
• networking opportunities for top performers to build relationships with other top performers and key management
• collaboration among top performers and management about best practices and ideas
• motivation of earners to continue to achieve high performance.

In analyzing this company’s incentive travel program, researchers concluded that the importance of such programs cannot be overestimated; their impact and value reach well beyond the typical event timeline. Earners of the incentive travel program are far from the only beneficiaries of the program. The sponsoring company, the destination and the suppliers all receive significant benefits as well.

Outside of providing networking opportunities and building participant motivation, research found that the incentive travel program afforded XYZ Corporation the following benefits:

• Positive organizational culture
• Employee recognition
• Retention of top performers
• Drives desired behaviors to meet or exceed financial and non-financial objectives

One of the strongest benefits the incentive travel program had on XYZ Corporation was the influence on corporate culture. One participant summed up this impact, saying, “the incentive travel program creates a certain type of culture where people’s performance and contributions are appreciated.” Likewise, a manger’s comments about ending the program noted that not only would it “probably have a bit of a negative impact, both in terms of productivity, as well as the impact on the business” but that “if we’re trying to create a culture of pay-for-performance and recognizing contributions” it would “…definitely send the wrong message.”

The program not only provides a venue to recognize and reward employees, but it extends beyond the length of the 3-day program as employees check rankings monthly, and through this creates competitiveness within the organization.

An additional measure of program success is its relationship to retention and performance. Since performance ratings and tenure were not direct qualifiers to earn in the program, researchers could study whether or not the ITP correlated independently to participant performance and tenure. Examining the tenure and company performance ratings of 105 of the employees who earned the incentive trip, researchers found that 55% of incentive travel earners had top performance ratings and tenure of 4 years or more, showing a very real correlation between incentives, longevity and quality. Overall, ITP participants tended to perform better and stay with the company longer than other employees. In fact, 88.5% of incentive travel earners had a high performance level of 1 or 2 compared to 31.2% of the control population.

The benefit to employee morale, motivation and performance are evident in the ratings provided by program participants. When participants were asked to indicate their level of agreement on a 4-point scale (1 = strongly disagree and 4 = strongly agree) with statements regarding the program’s motivational effect, the results for six major indicators landed squarely between “agree” and “strongly agree.”

• The ‘Helping Hands’ team-building exercise was engaging and motivating. 3.91
• I was excited to learn what the next location would be for the incentive trip. 3.91
• The 2009 destination announcement was funny and enjoyable. 3.89
• Overall, the trip was enjoyable. 3.87
• The incentive travel program is a good incentive to drive performance. 3.85
• The incentive trip made me feel that the company truly appreciates me. 3.84

It’s clear from these responses that both the incentive travel award and the recognition by corporate leaders motivate employees who participate in an ITP. They’re also excited about the opportunity to network with other high performers and share best practices. They tend to be proud of their achievements and the fact that they’re recognized as being the “best of the best.”

A multitude of “soft” benefits also contributed to “hard” financial success metrics. Researchers found that over a four-year period there was a significant difference between the net operating income of non-earners and earners. The average change in net operating income for the earners was significantly higher than the average of non-earners.

Return on objectives (ROO) is another strong measure of ITP success. The table ( below ) illustrates how meeting objectives can be used to evaluate and assist an organization in measuring the results of an incentive travel program based on meeting objectives. This technique considers the outcomes a company is aiming for and sets measurable guidelines to meet those objectives.

Many destinations either don’t track the specific dollar amount of incentive travel or lump it in with other corporate business travel. This makes it very difficult to estimate the overall economic impact. Recent economic studies, however, were able to show a multiplier effect that varied based on the specific region and the development of tourism in that region. This range is typically 1.3 to 1.7, which means if an incentive travel program spends $1,000,000 in a particular destination and the region has a multiplier effect of 1.3, then the multiplier effect to the local economy would be $300,000; if the region has a multiplier effect of 1.7, then the multiplier effect to the local economy is $700,000. This means that in addition to the $1,000,000 spent in the destination, there is an additional $300,000 to $700,000 benefit to the destination.

Harder to quantify, but no less important in determining the value of rewards and recognition, are the “emotional measures” that bolster the case for these types of programs.

For example, the company’s CEO says the biggest advantage to an incentive travel program is that it provides a way of standardizing a process across several company divisions and provides specific goals and standards within the company. When asked how the company measures the return on investment for the program, he simply says, “We don’t. We don’t measure it exactly, relative to the investment. I think our return or measurement is when we look around at the 300 people there. Are those really the people that I, along with the senior management, feel are the movers and shakers and the drivers of our success? If they are and they’re there, and they have a good time and they want to come back next year, then I think the investment’s been worthwhile.”

Management’s responses can be grouped into three distinct themes: 1) the contributions the program makes to organizational culture; 2) the importance of getting top performers and management together each year to network, exchange ideas and recognize performance; and 3) a motivational tool to drive desired behaviors of employees. Says one of the managers: “The program itself throws off a lot of collateral benefits in terms of top performers being together for a couple days and exchanging stories of opportunities, successes and challenges. I think this is invaluable. When you’re able to network amongst your high performing peers, there’s nothing but goodness that comes out.”

As for actual ITP earners, they feel the incentive travel program is a valuable part of the organization’s culture, noting that recognition by top leadership makes them very proud and motivated. They also feel that networking with peers and executives creates positive synergy. “I think it’s a combination of two things,” says one participant. “First, I think the recognition is something that absolutely everybody strives for and wants to go. The second piece, which is just as important, is the networking opportunity with our peers, our executives and just to be able to be with the most successful people in the organization and the people that are driving the vision.”

Perhaps the most interesting interviews are those conducted with service providers – the site selection people, destination management companies, hotels, airlines and ground transportation firms that depend on the business that ITPs bring to a particular destination. These “invisible beneficiaries” are often overlooked by critics of incentive travel, despite the fact that there’s an obvious, well-documented connection between corporations canceling their programs and hotels, restaurants and airlines having to lay people off because business has slowed.

To meet the business objectives of the incentive travel program, it is important to have the executive management team included in the incentive travel program. The CEO, Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Regional Directors of each corporate division are referred to as “hosts” for the incentive travel program. The primary responsibility of the host is to show earners how much their outstanding contributions to the company are appreciated. All participating hosts are assigned specific duties throughout the event and are required to attend all of the events, mingle with the winners and engage in all business sessions. They are not just there to recognize their employees who have earned the trip, but to play an active role in the program, to build motivation, listen to employees and participate with the earners throughout the 3-day event.

This allows the host or manager to learn firsthand from top performers and get feedback from their employee categories on issues that may be of interest for improvement or development. This opportunity not only allows management to build a personal relationship with their top performers, but also allows top performers to build a relationship with other top performers within the corporation.

Previous research conducted by Stolovitch, Clark and Condly offers an eight-step process in the “Performance Improvement by Incentives” (PIBI) model which:

• Identifies the areas of importance and relevance
• Provides guidance on the step-by-step procedures of implementation
• Allows decision makers to troubleshoot and correct the system if it is not yielding desired results.

The model ( below ) applies the current case study to the PIBI Model by showing how XYZ Corporation incorporates the eight-stage process in the implementation of the incentive travel program. Although the XYZ Corporation has had the incentive travel program for 18 years, the PIBI Model can be used as a tool when changes in the program are made or earning criteria are altered. For example, within the last few years XYZ Corporation has acquired a couple of smaller companies. The acquisition of new employees requires XYZ to evaluate how these new employees will be incorporated into the incentive travel program.

Should they be included in existing employee categories? Should new employee categories be established and criteria set? The following illustration takes this scenario through each of the eight stages. Since XYZ is committed to the incentive program and believes it is a vital part of the organizational culture, the implementation of the incentive travel program to newly acquired employees is critical to the overall success of the acquisition.

It’s clear from the case study presented here that employees are motivated by both the incentive travel award they can earn and the recognition afforded to them by corporate leaders when they participate in the event. It’s also evident that incentive travel programs aid in the retention of excellent employees who are top performers for a company. Organizations like the one in this study that consider the expense of the program an investment in their employees and a means to maximize business outcomes are using this tool to its full potential.

From the design of the earning criteria to the blueprint of the travel program to the metrics used to measure corporate performance, this report provides a template that other organizations can use to drive desired employee behaviors that will contribute to overall profitability. Organizations that develop cultures based on employee recognition and rewards programs will be better positioned to survive, and even thrive, because their employees remain motivated and involved.

The Anatomy of an Incentive Travel Program was prepared by: Kimberly S. Severt, Ph.D and Deborah Breiter, Ph.D; Tourism, Events, & Attractions Department, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida

• Research Funded by: The Incentive Research Foundation
• For a copy of the complete 108-page study, go to www.TheIRF.org .

The Incentive Research Foundation funds and promotes research to advance the science and enhance the awareness and appropriate application of motivation and incentives in business and industry globally. The goal is to increase the understanding, effective use and resultant benefits of incentives to businesses that currently use incentives and others interested in improved performance. Learn more at: www.TheIRF.org

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Take a deep dive into AI capabilities, platform options, technical explanations, and a look at what lies ahead for the sophisticated use of this technology to enhance incentive and recognition programs. 

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Exhibition stands contractors in Russia

Proekta has been involved in organizing promotional stands since 2012, with our specialists fulfilling a number of large projects for both Russian and foreign clients.

Participation in exhibitions is impossible without an exhibition stand contractor to create your brand’s business card and temporary office. There are two main types of exhibit stands – modular and exclusive stands. Almost every time there is a need for an exhibition booth, organizers will end up providing different additional services, including electricity, water, hanging installations, etc. Modular stands are built from pre-produced components, and this is the most cost-effective solution, as these components can be used many times. The more expensive and functional solution is an exclusive exhibit booth. It is assembled by combining materials based on a custom design. The exhibition stand arrangement is a multiple stage process where procedure is important because it addresses all significant nuances. Today’s exhibition stands at large events are real masterpieces that require complicated construction and solid experience. Exhibition stand building in Moscow is in-demand as there are many large, occurring business events in the area. 

THE MAIN PROBLEMS

To make a promotional booth, you have make many decisions with your event manager during each stage of building. To get approval, consider the hall’s technical features and how to deal with logistics issues. Normally, construction time is limited, and any delay can negatively affect quality. Depending on the project’s complexity, equipment can be brought from other cities or countries, and all these details must be considered beforehand. Many advertising stands are part of a brand concept, so everything should be according to official branding. There are engineering designs featured at automobile exhibitions, where floor sturdiness should be considered. It is important to test the structural integrity of the venue when placing cars. Stand construction for exhibitions in Moscow should be entrusted to an experienced, responsible exhibition stand building professional with customer recommendations. That’s why it’s important that a builder has project delivery experience in the field of your exhibition. Also, you have to remember that different exhibition contractors offer different technologies and solutions, so some contractors may not fit your needs.

Building of the exhibition stand and exhibition management at MIAS 2016

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Exhibition set up on the Comtrans commercial vehicles show

Stand buildup for Golden Dragon Company on Comtrans exhibition

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Cricket in the US is a month away: 2024 T20 World Cup tickets, schedule, venues, where to watch

The countdown to the much-awaited 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup begins, with just a month left for the opening match of the tournament between first time participants Canada and U.S. in Dallas on June 1. The series will also mark U.S.'s debut as a co-host in an International Cricket Council tournament.

Preparations for the tournament are in full swing in the U.S., and the 34,000-seat modular stadium in Long Island, New York that will host some of the most anticipated matches is nearing completion. Ten pitches, prepared in Florida, arrived at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium this week, the ICC said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the squads and players have also started gearing up for the tournament. Several countries including India , Australia, South Africa and defending champions England have announced their squads for the upcoming matches.

See full list: India announces 15-member squad for 2024 T20 World Cup led by Rohit Sharma

How to get ICC T20 World Cup match tickets

General tickets for the 2024 T20 World Cup are available to purchase on first-come-first-serve basis on the tournament website . While tickets for popular matches sold out almost immediately when the sales went live on Feb. 22, tickets for multiple matches in the U.S., such as United States vs. Ireland and Canada vs. Pakistan, are still available, as of April 30.

Tickets for some of the matches are also available for purchase on third-party websites such as Stubhub , Tickets Center and SeatGeek for varying prices.

$40,000 cricket tickets: T20 World Cup, Pakistan-India demand, drives skyrocketing prices

Hospitality program and travel packages

The ICC is also offering a limited number of hospitality and premium packages for the T20 World Cup. To get them, visit tickets.t20worldcup.com or email [email protected].

Cricket enthusiasts who will be travelling to the venues from different countries also have the option to secure ticket-inclusive travel packages through ICC Travel & Tours and officially appointed travel agents listed on their website.

What ticket categories are available?

Tickets are available in the following categories, depending on the stadiums and venues:

• Standard Plus
• Grounds and Mounds / Standing Room Only (SRO)

ICC said all stadiums in the event are "divided into different enclosures which have different views of the field of play and may have differing degrees of shade."

ICC Cricket World Cup 2024: How to watch matches in the US on TV, streaming

Fans and audiences will be able to watch the world cup matches exclusively on WillowTV , according to a spokesperson of the T20 World Cup.

What to know about the 2024 T20 World Cup

Fifty-five matches will be played across nine cities – three in the U.S. and six in the Caribbean, according to the ICC, with the opening match between Canada and the U.S. to be held on June 1 at Grand Prairie Stadium in the Dallas metro area, and the grand finale on June 29 in Barbados. The semi-finals will take place in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

New York City will host the much-anticipated clash between Pakistan and India on June 9, according to the schedule released by the ICC.

England enters the year as defending champions, having beaten Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne. The series will mark U.S., Canada and Uganda's first appearances at a Men's T20 World Cup.

As anticipation for the tournament builds, the ICC announced eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt and India's legendary cricketer Yuvraj Singh as ambassadors for the T20 World Cup 2024.

Tournament director Fawwaz Baksh had told USA TODAY in February that he is confident that his team "will put up a very good show."

"A big part of this tournament is not only what's going to happen on the field with the players, but also everything outside of the stadium," Baksh had said. "We will make it a real carnival-like."

Match schedule, groups, host cities: US to co-host ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024

ICC World Cup venues

Matches will be played at the following stadiums in the United States:

• Central Broward Park – Lauderhill, Florida, USA
• Eisenhower Park – Nassau County, Long Island, New York, USA
• Grand Prairie Stadium – Grand Prairie, Texas, USA

'We can’t wait': Timelapse video shows New York cricket stadium inching closer to completion

Matches will be played at the following stadiums in West Indies:

• Kensington Oval – Bridgetown, Barbados
• Daren Sammy Cricket Ground – Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
• Arnos Vale Stadium – Kingstown, Saint Vincent
• Brian Lara Cricket Academy – San Fernando, Trinidad

What to expect from the T20 World Cup? Tournament director says cricket matches will be 'very, very exciting'

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

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