Conference Matters 143

RESEARCH

LIVE INDUSTRY DASHBOARD

Doelstellingen inzet incentive reizen Incentive travel objectives

Companies are increasingly turning to incentive travel to promote their business strategy and core values

align with sustainable and strategic objectives. The research shows that companies iden tify important indicators that are relevant to both incentive agencies and their businesses. The current dynamic times force all parties involved to take a critical look at the application of incentive travel and adapt their strategies to remain relevant where necessary. From fun to goal-orientated The study shows a clear shift from the conven tional ‘fun party incentive’, which often includes many incentive trips, towards more goal-orien tated ones that are integrated into business strategies and focused on value creation and long-term goals. Sustainability and social impact continue to grow in importance, and these themes must be the main focus in line with the companies’ core values. In the future, companies expect that incentive trips will offer more than just enter tainment; they should contribute to personal and professional growth, support social and environ mental goals, and reflect the company’s core values. However, the research shows that many compa nies struggle with the concept of sustainability. Many incentive trips include air travel, as popular destinations are still around the Mediterranean. Many clients face a dilemma about sustainability,

Increase employee engagement Team building Strengthen corporate culture Retain employees Incentivise employees to perform optimally Reward achieving targets Be an attractive employer (war for talent) Stimulate employee development Other Vergroten betrokkenheid medewerkers bij bedrijf Teambuilding Versterken van de bedrijfscultuur Het behoud van personeel Prikkelen werknemers om optimaal te presteren Belonen van het behalen van targets Aantrekkelijke arbeidsmarkt propositie (war on talent) Stimuleren ontwikkeling van medewerkers Anders

73%

63%

55%

38%

‘Other’ includes: - Celebrating an anniversary

18%

16% 16%

- Gaining new insights into your own work and projects - Taking employees out of their comfort zone, inspire them, pamper them, and appreciate them. Organise everything perfectly and bring them home safely - Strengthening client relationships

14%

5%

although it’s rarely decisive in destination choice. Nonetheless, respondents expect that this will come under greater scrutiny in the future. Joe Pine’s view Marketing guru Joe Pine also had the opportunity to see the research results. Pine confirms that incentive travel can deliver greater value when integrated into the business strategy. Accor ding to him, incentive agencies and their clients can gain even more benefits by expanding their collaboration. The experiences gained during an incentive trip should have a lasting impact on the strategic development of a company. Nowadays, collabo ration often ends shortly after the trip is done, but Pine suggests that the corporate event organiser and the agency play a more strategic role. Ideally, completion and preparation for the next trip should start immediately following the end of the previous one. Pine sees an incentive trip as part of a long-term strategy, not as a

one-off initiative, although that often happens in practice. He also highlights how important it is to assess and thoroughly evaluate incentive travel in order to optimise long-term benefits and maximise value. Conclusion Incentive travel remains an effective way to motivate employees and foster a positive company culture. However, its role is changing. The focus is increasingly shifting to sustaina bility, the need for meaningful experiences and new challenges in legislation, regulations and geopolitics, which requires a new perspective. For companies and event organisers, the future lies in combining these elements in their incen tive programs. This will require a shift from a mainly logistical approach to a strategic one, which not only provides more value but is also more future-proof.

Inhoudelijke voorwaarden incentive reizen Substantive conditions for incentive travel

Relaxation and entertainment Unique and authentic experiences Ontspanning en entertainment Unieke en authentieke ervaringen Kennisontwikkeling en -deling tussen werknemers Bijdragen aan waarde creatie binnen bedrijf/organisatie Vergroten van kennis over bedrijfsstrategie Werknemers doordringen van de organisatiedoelen contacten leggen met lokale bewoners en lokale cultuur Anders Develop and share knowledge between employees Contribute to creating value within the organisation Increase knowledge of company strategy Make employees aware of company goals Make contact with local residents and culture Other

88%

61%

41%

34%

11%

7%

‘Other’ includes: - Interaction between employees and their partners - Curiosity is essential - Developing blind faith in the leader and their vision

2%

4%

Unique, never visited before Authentic setting Available cultural facilities Distance Urban environment Available sports facilities Located in nature Other Unieke, niet eerder bezocht Authentieke setting Aanwezigheid culturele… Afstand Stedelijke omgeving Aanwezigheid sportfaciliteiten Gelegen in de natuur Anders Criteria voor bestemming incentive reizen Criteria for destination incentive travel 30% 29% 27% 16% 7% 9%

66%

57%

‘Other’ includes: - Bucket-list destinations that will create memories our teams will always cherish - Architecture and urban planning - Interesting projects to visit (work-related and cultural), nightlife - Inspiring and surprising locations - The trip is more important than the destination - Offering our employees a nice relaxing weekend with a team building activity

tive travel, offering personalised experiences based on data analysis, such as participants’ preferences and behaviours.

it used to be mainly about motivation and recognition in the short term, today there’s more attention being paid to creating a valu able and lasting impact. 4. Geopolitical tensions and security: Concerns about global tensions and security affect the choice of destinations and the overall feasi bility of incentive travel. 5. Economic developments: Lower or stagnant economic growth can strongly influence the budgets for incentive travel. 6. Technological progress: AI is playing an incre asingly significant role in developing incen

tive travel because it limits the fiscal room for businesses and increases the costs of such rewards. This dissuades businesses from investing in incentive programmes, which can ultimately affect employee moti vation and appreciation. 3. Value creation: Companies are increasingly turning to incentive travel to promote their business strategy and core values. The incentive trip then becomes not just a reward but a powerful instrument to con vey the company’s identity and involve employees in the long-term vision. Although

TIPS FROM THE RESEARCH 1. Co-creation between corporate and agency: Incentive agencies and clients must collaborate more closely to design incentive trips that align with their strategic objectives. These travel programs must also contribute to employee engagement, team building and sustainability. 2. Focus on value creation: Incentive travel should include educational aspects and provide experiences that support long-term employee growth and company goals. 3. Prioritising sustainability: It must become an integral part of incentive travel. The emphasis in the pre-selection of destinations should be on environmentally friendly destinations and activities that minimise ecological impact and encourage social responsibility. 4. AI customisation: Instead of seeing AI as a burden, embrace it. Use AI technologies to create tailored travel experiences based on employee preferences, allowing for greater customisation.

Leader in reach and impact An overwhelming majority of respondents (78 percent) indicate that, despite social pres sure, incentive travel still uniquely contributes to company values, with a reach and impact that other events, such as staff parties or company days, cannot match. However, respondents believe that the content of incentive travel must change in the future to

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