Business travel incentives are a good way to retain and reward valuable employees. If you are using a services' of group incentive programs to encourage your staff to meet and exceed your expectations, you should be working with your incentive travel companies to get the most value for your money. Group incentives should build morale and team spirit as well as educate your workers, and your incentive travel business agent should be working to help you meet those goals.

Working with group incentive travel programs means working with incentive travel companies to set up free giveaway incentives from the home office. But it also means working with your corporate incentive travel agents to make sure everything runs smoothly at the vacation destination. As you work with your business incentive travel agent, you should collaborate to do the following:

1. Assess the business travel incentives that have the greatest value for your employees.

2. Implement the free giveaway incentives program.

3. Evaluate the success or failure of the program at the end of the rewards period.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Work with your incentive travel business partner to select a destination

As part of the assessment process, you should ask your employees what destinations would be the best for them. For example, if you have a group of golfers among your employees, then try to find a locale with world-class golfing. If your employees show no interest in golf, then a golfing vacation would hold little meaning as an incentive. Regardless of what destination you choose, there should be something of interest for everyone in the vacation package.

I recommend: Work with the staff of Summit Performance Group to choose the right site for your corporate incentive vacation promotion. They are knowledgeable about a variety resort spots and can work with you to get your incentive trips coordinated and scheduled. Incentive Solutions works with you to choose the best site for your group incentive travel destination.

Make sure your incentive business travel consultant can help you customize your travel plans

They should be able to offer you a variety of packages for different locations. That way you can tailor your group's vacation rewards based on the choices your group made in advance.

I recommend: By teaming with the incentive business travel consultants at JNR, you can create customized group incentive travel programs tailored to your specifications. Let Maritz assess your employees to find the right business incentive travel for them. By customizing your incentive travel programs, you can get your employees to work harder toward earning their travel rewards.

Use on-site services offered by your incentive travel business partner

Because they want their clients to have the best possible service, many incentive travel business consultants send a special representative to accompany your group on their trip to make sure everything runs smoothly. Because many hotels no longer offer concierge service, using your corporate incentive travel partner in this capacity is even more important.

I recommend: Robert P. Schron Associates realize that attention to detail is important. The firm places one of its staff members on each of your business incentive trips so you get professional on-site attention as needed. Peak Performance also offers on-site management as part of its business travel incentives packages, as well as a variety of other services.

One great way to boost company sales and keep employees happy is through group incentive travel programs. Everyone likes a vacation, and a free vacation is even better.

Business incentive travel motivates employees and sales personnel to put their best effort forward and ultimately boost your bottom line.

Business travel incentives encourage group participation in planning and implementing new ideas and programs. It’s easier to motivate a group at a destination meeting. Not only does corporate travel allow your employees and associates to see each other in a different setting, but knowing there will be time to enjoy a great get away in the process makes the work easier.

Make incentive business travel work for you through customer giveaways. Free travel vouchers give potential customers a reason to give your company a closer look and rewards established clients for their loyalty.

Taking advantage of incentive travel business will:

1. Reward employees for their hard work and extra efforts to boost company revenue.
2. Motivate associates by offering business incentive travel as the culmination of a short term business campaign.
3. Strengthen team building by providing destination meeting spaces.
4. Promote company services to potential customers and new clients.

Action Steps
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Give employees a boost by offering business travel incentives as year end prizes

Employees want something to work for. Knowing a paid vacation is waiting for them at the end of a productive year is a great motivator. The incentive travel business specializes in putting together just the right package for your most productive staff member.

I recommend: Travel Wizard is a full service travel company with unique programs for business incentive travel.

Use group incentive travel programs for short term campaign rewards

Offer incentive business travel as a prize for short term goal achievement. Use incentive travel programs throughout the fiscal year as immediate motivation to reach individual or group goals quarterly and biannually.

I recommend: Millennium Travel and Promotions offers employee travel incentives that fit every budget and business size.

Plan destination meetings and team building experiences for associates and company officers

Incentive business travel isn't limited to rewards. Use incentive travel companies to plan business meetings and planning sessions with key employees. Getting out of the office to an exciting location promotes team building and encourages fresh thinking.

I recommend: Peak Performance Services Incentives and Meetings provides the best in destination meeting planning.

Offer free giveaway incentives to potential clients just for looking at what you offer

Everyone's in the market for a free vacation. This is a great way to get new customers in the door and reward established clients for their continued loyalty. Make incentive trips a sweepstakes prize, a free giveaway just for coming in, or a reward for referrals.

I recommend: With over 25 years in the travel incentive business, Incentive Solutions is the place to go for travel rewards programs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Get creative about business incentive travel programs. Chart employee progress in a visible place, have interim prize drawings along the way and be sure to offer great second and third place prizes as well.
• •  Develop relationships with multiple group travel companies that specialize in many different packages. As they get to know your unique situation they can tailor travel programs to your specific needs.

Group incentive travel programs are designed to help businesses save money on their travel expenses. Business incentive travel programs may include all costs associated with airfare, hotel accommodations, meeting planning, team building events, food, beverages and more.

To determine group incentive travel programs pricing and costs, you will need to consider a few things. Program costs will vary depending on your group size as well as the location you plan to travel to.

1. Announce the corporate incentive vacation promotion. These events are typically open to employees that reach a certain sales number.

2. Arrange the business incentive travel event. Start to think about location as well as how many expected attendants.

3. Contact vendors that offer incentive travel business packages. Receive quotes based on your group size and desired destination.

Action Steps
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Find out some basic price information for incentive travel programs

If you are planning a multiple day trip as part of your group incentives, then you will want to start contacting vendors that handle these types of trips. These packages normally include food, air, beverage, meetings, giveaways and other incentives. Therefore, expect to pay upwards of $1000 per person.

I recommend: Fire Light Group has multiple business travel incentives. Pricing is provided for groups of 15 to25 and ranges from $1500 to $3000 depending on your travel destination. With iExplore, a company that has incentive travel programs you can customize your group event and still receive a low rate. For example, a Tuscany walking tour group trip will cost upwards of $1300 or to Hawaii for $1200 and more per person.

Save with incentive trips for the day

The small business owner may not have enough money in their budget to send their top five sales team members to Hawaii. Therefore, you can price out the cost of day trips as an alternative corporate incentive travel promotion.

I recommend: MTA Promotions has multiple types of client and group incentive travel programs. Day trips start as low as $125 per person. Whitewater Voyages gives special discounts to corporate groups that plan day trips through their company. You will receive a discount on their normal rate of $100 to $150 for full day trips.

Get cost information for incentive travel business flights

Although many agencies will give you package rates, you can choose to book your airfare separately. Many airlines as well as private jet companies will give specialized pricing to group incentive programs.

I recommend: American Airlines has group incentive trips with reduced rate fares for your company. For all domestic flights, you can save anywhere from 40% to 60% off normal fare prices. For a private jet service for your incentive program, you can consider PJs Group. You can download their pricing guide to get a better idea on what you could expect to pay to charter your group business trip.

Group incentive travel programs are organized by employers as a way to encourage their employees to achieve important work goals. For example, an employer may set a particular sales goal in order to make an employee eligible to participate in the group travel program.

You can hire different agencies to set up group incentive travel programs. These companies will arrange group events, accommodations and giveaways. They can also help you research different destinations that are appropriate to your event.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Incentive travel

Incentive travel involves offering a trip to employees in order to motivate them to improve productivity and increase sales.

I recommend: Find out more about incentive travel options from Incentive Solutions.

Site selection

Site selection involves choosing the location where you plan to host your group travel event. Potential spots may include hotels, resorts and cruise ships.

I recommend: Summit Performance Group gives information about their site selection services.

On site services

Group incentive travel program agencies will typically arrange your trip and offer extra options, including on site services. On site services for group incentive travel programs may include meeting management, reservations and mixers.

I recommend: Schron Associates has details about their particular on site services for group incentive travel programs.

Incentive program planning

An incentive program planning company will arrange not only the destination for the travel program, but also negotiate a group rate for your company. Additional services include arranging guest speakers, group meals and tours.

I recommend: Peak Performance provides various aspects of incentive program planning.

Return on investment

Return on investment (ROI) is another key term associated with group incentive travel programs. Return on investment refers to the potential increase in productivity that the employer will receive from spending the money to provide the travel program to their employees.

I recommend: Consider the return on investment (ROI) information provided by Travel Wizard, a provider of corporate incentive programs.

Promotional materials

Promotional materials are used to advertise the group incentive trip, as well as motivate individuals in the corporation to reach company goals. Materials may include brochures, posters and websites.

I recommend: Get more information and examples of promotional materials at FIRE Light Group.