The incentive travel industry has always been a popular way for companies to reward employees and customers for their loyalty and hard work. But those employees and customers have returned to the workplace with a new attitude towards how they want to work and what they expect from organizations as rewards for their efforts.
Here are five trends that incentive planners should pay attention to when designing programs to motivate this returning audience.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Incentive travel is becoming more experiential, with a focus on creating unique experiences rather than simply providing a one-size-fits-all trip. Targeted and customized reward offerings are increasingly synching up to the needs of companies and employees.
The workplace has always been multi-generational, but that diversity of experience and values takes on heightened importance when it comes to motivating people. The different work ethics of each generational group translate to different aspirations in terms of what is an incentive — and what isn’t.
Golf and spa are still popular, especially among baby boomers, but more incentives recipients, especially younger ones, are seeking experiential activities that put them in the heart of the action where they can learn something about the destination they are visiting. This is making activities like cooking lessons and walking tours more popular.
To most baby boomers, an incentive reward will always mean high-end service in a five-star hotel. On the other end of the spectrum, many millennial incentive participants care less about the hotel room and more about the destination and the people they encounter on the trip. When it comes to delivering the type of experience that incentive winners desire, it often boils down to knowing who they are and giving them freedom to choose.
Tech Is a Motivational Tool
Technology is playing a larger role in incentive travel, with companies using platforms not only to plan but to promote personalized incentive travel programs and get employees excited to participate in them. With personalized service boosted by technology, companies like Inspirato can offer travel recipients different dates and accommodations options, thus letting them make a choice that best fits their schedule.
Similar to how virtual meetings enabled organizations to engage with their employees and customers during the pandemic, the practice of virtual tours and virtual activities have become part of the incentive travel experience — especially when it comes to promoting the reward during the qualification period. Some companies have even opted for hybrid trips where some of the activities could be done in person and some of them could be done online.
But mostly, technology is giving award qualifiers something they prize most of all — empowerment.
Technology has enabled organizations to crowd source destination options during the pre-planning process to narrow down what trip and activity options are most prized by their potential qualifiers. This is giving incentive participants, whether they are working toward a group reward or an individual trip, something they never had before — a voice in how they are going to be rewarded.
Health and Safety Are Motivators
Many employees are now more reluctant to participate in group incentive travel programs due to health and safety concerns. Companies are focusing on safety and health protocols, and many have shifted away from large, in-person group travel rewards towards smaller, bespoke experiences.
This allows companies to provide safe, yet still exciting, incentive travel opportunities for their employees and customers. For group trips, safety protocols are now in place to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. Temperature checks, social distancing and masks are all part of the new incentive.
We are also seeing steady progress on the growth of wellness programs, and it comes from two directions. One is human resources departments in organizations that are taking a long-term view of ways to impact wellness and maybe drop the slope on healthcare cost increases. Spa facilities at resorts are also focusing more broadly on long-term health and well-being in addition to one-time pampering.
Millennials are also driving a trend toward wellness travel which gives incentive recipients a chance to improve their health while enjoying an exotic destination and incentive services. Many spas now offer health assessments programs, such as tests for blood pressure and calculating body mass index as part of educating guests about their personal health.
If You’re Not Bending, You’re Breaking
Companies are increasingly emphasizing the importance of flexibility when it comes to incentive travel. They are allowing participants to alter their plans if necessary and are considering alternative options to group travel for rewarding employees.
According to Northstar Meetings Group’s Incentive Pulse Survey, 91 percent of respondents said participants preferences are a factor when deciding on how to motivate and reward them.
That is a key reason why incentive travel is becoming more personalized. Organizations are now investing the time and effort to create unique and memorable experiences that are tailored to individual interests and preferences.
Exclusive travel access, such as that offered by Inspirato, is a very effective way for an organization to incorporate flexibility into its award strategy. Employees are given access to book trips in a variety of destinations and accommodations, allowing them to enjoy at a time that is convenient for them rather than on dates selected by their organization.
The experience can be further individualized by including bespoke elements that provide access to local experiences at the destination such as tickets to museums, concerts, sporting events and the theater.
For group awards, split stays are another way organizations are incorporating participant choice into incentive rewards. In a split stay, accommodations at a specific destination are split between sister properties to offer guests two or more unique experiences.
The ‘Motication’
Travel has become more expensive due to the pandemic. This has created a pain point for employees when it comes to traveling for their vacations. This has increased the motivational impact an individual incentive travel award can have on employees.
Family ties have also improved during the pandemic. A 2021 Pew Research Center study counted 59.7 million U.S. residents living in multigenerational homes; that’s four times the number reported pre-pandemic. Further, among families with multiple generations under one roof, nearly 80 percent report having better relationships with family and kids, including with adult children, since the pandemic. In part, it was simply a matter of spending quality and quantity time together with those who matter most. This has increased the motivational value of individual travel rewards where the award winners can take their families along.
Sponsored Content
Meaningful Business Travel Incentives
Reward and retain your most valuable employees, partners, and customers with luxury travel from Inspirato. Inspirato for Business provides a turnkey luxury travel platform that is designed to make incentive travel easy and cost-effective. When you partner with Inspirato for Business, you will receive dedicated account management including easy implementation, streamlined reward redemption, a dedicated logistics and planning team, and reporting to show utilization. Plus, every trip that your recipient takes with Inspirato includes personalized service from a dedicated team of professionals, a destination concierge, pre-trip planning, and daily housekeeping.
Explore the Inspirato Collection today to see what your recipients can expect and let us put our 10+ years delivering 1M nights of luxury vacations to work for you. Visit InspiratoforBusiness.com to learn more or contact us via email at [email protected] or by phone at 303-586-7771.