Travel Incentives Are The Ultimate Motivational Reward

Many believe travel incentives to be the top award medium, and there is plenty of evidence to support this view. Travel leaves long-lasting, incredible memories and how often do you hear a colleague saying “I wish I was on holiday”? We all yearn for a warm beach or a cool terrace where we can relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life for a while.

That image is a powerful motivator, particularly when offered as a prospective reward.  Travel can spur people on to achieve stretching sales targets and the actions that get them there will provide positive reinforcement of their efforts.

Top Travel Incentives

There are as many variations on the incentive travel theme as there are global destinations and fabulous locations from which to choose.  Let’s look at some of those options, to appreciate their range and variety:

Hot Spots

Sizzling, sunny, beach resorts with world-class entertainment, leisure and sports centres.

From Bali to Barbados, Marbella to Mauritius and many points around the globe, an exclusive travel programme for top performers leaves them with a warm glow!

Cool Retreats

Original, ice cold or just ultra-cool, there are plenty of surprises in store.

Examples of rare experiences include the steaming geysers of Iceland, an ice hotel in Sweden or dog sledding and riding snowmobiles across the wilderness of Canada’s Laurentian mountain range.

Sophisticated Cities

Culture, architecture, history, classic cuisine, famous names and unique places.

No “city break” can compare with an exclusive private itinerary that reveals the best-kept secrets of a city and welcomes special guests with lavish hospitality.  There is always time for exploration and discovery, shopping, sightseeing, wining and dining.  The difference is that incentive travel programmes add ingredients that money alone cannot buy!

Maximise The Potential Of Incentive Travel

So, setting aside the wealth of options for travel destinations for a moment, what else needs to be kept in mind to ensure that an incentive trip is the ultimate reward?

According to Trip Savvy, there are a number of key points to keep in mind to maximise the positive impact of travel incentives:

• The earning and selection criteria for the reward must be clearly tied to business objectives
• Communication about the program and the participants’ progress toward goals must be clear and consistent
• Executives and key managers should act as hosts to reinforce the company’s commitment to the reward programme and recognition
• The company should keep detailed records that prove the productivity of the earners and their contributions to the company’s financial performance
• Programmes must include networking opportunities for top performers to build relationships with other top performers and key management
• Travel incentives encourage collaboration among top performers and management about best practices and ideas

Travel incentives should be part of a structured performance improvement and recognition strategy, with rewards tailored to escalating levels of achievement.  An exclusive incentive travel programme is the ultimate award for those producing the best personal, or team, results.

Get The Details Right

Destinations, duration of trips and the times of year are all determined by a combination of factors.  Choosing the right incentive travel solution for your team will include these considerations:

• The age, education and lifestyles of the qualifiers
• The background to the business and the relationships between qualifiers
• The diversity and experiences of the participants and their personal interests
• The practicality of taking key people away from the business
• The potential increase in revenue and profits that incentive travel can generate
• The need to recognise and reward team members who do not qualify for the top award
• The need to sustain motivation between travel trips and amongst the non-qualifiers
• The need to select destinations and locations that will appeal to the qualifiers
• The need to design programmes and activities suited to the qualifiers
• The importance of returning with stories that will encourage further qualification

Travel may be the ultimate motivator, but you should still strive to deliver an experience that exceeds expectations end to end.  Working with an expert provider of travel incentives ensures that your programme will deliver a significant and satisfying return on investment, as well as creating legendary tales.