One of the most exciting aspects of being in the event management business is coming into contact with imaginative and creative people around the world.

Designing an incentive travel programme is by its very nature a challenge, as the qualifiers are top achievers with high expectations! They have “been there, done it and got the T shirt”! We rely on the talent and skill of industry partners to help us deliver enjoyable and memorable travel and event experiences, in the UK and overseas.

Better together

The supplier partners who contribute to the travel programmes and event management we supply for our clients broadly fall into ten categories:

1. Ground and air transportation – buses, taxis, rickshaws, trains, boats and planes
2. Facilities for event activities – fields, forests, tracks, trails, museums, castles and warehouses
3. Activity equipment – hand held, motorised, wind-powered, on dry land and on water
4. Venues for accommodation – hotels, castles, country houses, forts and safari camps
5. Purpose-built conference centres and other meeting spaces
6. Restaurants and other catering services, both static and mobile
7. Entertainment – conjurers, musicians, singers, dancers, jugglers and mind-readers
8. Sightseeing and local interaction – “behind-the-scenes” tours and visits
9. Technical production – staging, sound systems, lighting, audio-visual content and recording
10. Event support – guides, interpreters, local experts and destination management personnel

All of these elements can be part of a business or hospitality event, a conference or incentive travel programme. The principles of efficient event management are the same every time: detailed research and meticulous planning are necessary in order to identify the special ingredients that can make the event experience unique and rewarding. The extraordinary skill and knowledge of the “supporting cast” are what make events memorable.

An example of such joint innovation has recently been highlighted by the news that a Scottish-born chef, Jock Zonfrillo, has won an international culinary prize by using ingredients and cooking techniques learned from indigenous Australian people. Whilst Zonfrillo’s Adelaide restaurant might have already been rated as one of the best in the world, this prize brings focus to how the gastronomical experience can be more than one of just eating – Jock has managed to pull together food, culture, communities, and history. The food based on 60,000-year-old recipes is arguably exponentially improved by the stories that surrounds it, as well as the number of other criteria in play.

See the world

Such original talent is all around us, in the UK and across the world. The sheer pleasure of discovering the unexpected is the reward that comes from being adventurous and seeking out different places and unfamiliar cultures. Part of the return on investment for our clients in organising live events is the improved morale and motivation which is generated in the participants.  Corporate events are opportunities for colleagues, business partners, employees and managers to share experiences in a neutral environment and at the same time build closer relationships.

You can learn a lot about someone when you are both struggling to master a new skill, learning about different nationalities or enjoying their hospitality. Traditionally, travel is said to broaden the mind, but with instant digital access to information, the benefit of modern travel is to fully understand the reality and the intrinsic character of a destination. The best antidote to “fake news” is a first-hand encounter with other cultures and communities. Rewarding discoveries take many forms, which is why incentive travel and live events enrich lives and provide a valuable boost to business.