A functional alternative to the normal fly and stay incentive travel program, cruising to a desired destination can be very beneficial. As the incentive travel industry makes a big comeback post-recession, new and creative itineraries are being utilized. The option of a cruise is becoming more and more appealing. Cruising provides many unusual travel opportunities that incentive travel providers and clients find value in. The top ten beneficial reasons to plan an incentive travel program aboard a cruise ship are provided below, in no particular order (that’s for you to decide!)
1. Unpack once, and done! Many incentive travel programs consist of dual (or more) itineraries to different destinations. It can often be stressful to unpack, re-pack, and unpack once again after traveling to yet another destination. Once settled on a cruise ship, your vacation can start and end worry-free.
2. Island hopping. A cruise enables passengers to visit and explore multiple islands, without boarding a plane (or packing).
3. Inexpensive cruise packages. The majority of cruise lines offer incredible cruise deals, especially for groups. Considering that many incentive travel programs are held in the summer, this is the best time for cruise package specials. Beating the summer heat is also an added bonus. Why stay in a scorching hot city when you can sail the high seas and feel the breeze of the ocean!
4. Private cruise sailings. In the instance that a large incentive travel group plans to take a cruise, it is a good idea to sail the ship privately. The entire ship and its crew are then able to devote all of their expertise solely to the group which enhances the level of service provided.
5. Something for everyone. No matter the age, cruise ships have activities for everyone on board. From rock climbing to water slides, golf lessons to a regulation sized basketball court, there is no shortage of exciting adventures to experience.
6. Less expensive airfare. Airfares to U.S. ports of call are much more affordable than to international destinations. Airlines often offer special rates to cities which are cruise ship ports of call. Also, there are now numerous ports of call along the coasts of the United States to choose from.
7. An abundance of food options. Cruise ships offer multiple dining options aboard, which are included in the fare. From buffets to formal dining, and sushi bars to pizza joints, there are always fresh and delicious options to choose from. Furthermore, dining is available at all hours. There are midnight buffets and around-the-clock room service, free of charge. For special occasions, many cruise lines have a steak house or similar restaurant aboard, for a nominal charge.
8. Remarkable views and sunsets. While sailing the seas there is no shortage of amazing views. Whether it be passing by an island and enjoying the view from afar, looking over the ships’ rails into the deep blue ocean and seeing an abundance of marine life, or basking in the glow of some of the world’s best sunsets, when the sun is descending upon the horizon, the views a cruise ship offers are hard to come by elsewhere.
9. Meeting and event spaces are free to utilize. Hotels and resorts often charge a hefty fee for using their event venues and function spaces.
10. A vast array of entertainment options. Enjoy a show in the theater, a movie on the top deck, dance the night away in one of the many clubs, play bingo in your down time, or laugh out loud in a comedy show.
Looking for Incentives For Employees? Try Exotic Vacations
/in Incentive Travel ArticlesIncentive trips can increase employee loyalty to your company. Announcing the location of the trip mid year will create motivation and excitement for your employees. Winners of such trips will strive to win the reward year after year. When the winners return from a trip, they create an exciting buzz of what a great time they had. Therefore, those who did not win are all the more motivated to strive to win the next year. An incentive trip will create a bond between fellow employees sharing a fun experience in a unique destination and is proven to create a great boost in team moral before and after the trip.
As humans we revel in recognition. Naturally, employees in the workplace do the same. Knowing that a job well done equals being recognized by a superior within the workplace makes people strive to work harder to reach a desired goal. Being rewarded physically as well as verbally while on the trip is an added bonus. Therefore it is beneficial to hold an awards ceremony during the trip to reinforce the recognition of each employee, individually.
Learning and understanding corporate culture and company objectives relating to its employees allows for your travel company to specialize in site, entertainment, and meal selection for your group. Each individual, as well as each group, are unique. Group dynamics must be studied to ensure the perfect accommodations, entertainment choices, and destinations for your specific employees.
Incentive Travel Solutions specializes in creating and executing unbelievable trip experiences completely tailored to your company’s needs. Ask us how we can help to motivate your employees by creating incredible experiences in all corners of the world!
Golf Tournaments: Fun and Networking for a Worthy Cause
/in Press and NewsIncentive Travel Solutions, a Charlotte, NC based Company, invites you to discover how a golf tournament can be a great way for your meeting attendees to interact and give to a community at the same time. Kevin Devanney, President of Incentive Travel Solutions says, “Golf is a great way to have fun while strengthening business connections and even supporting a worthy cause. This year we had clients who wanted to give back to the destinations that were hosting us. So we designed their annual golf tournament to raise money for charities at their President’s Club trip”. “Many of the Caribbean Islands are wonderful destinations with beautiful resorts, but the islands themselves are sometimes immersed in poverty. Just a little help from incentive groups can go a long way in helping some needy families”. Devanney provided some tips for staging a successful golf event.
• Establish your goals: Think about your objective for the day. Is your tournament a corporate, competitive, or charity event? Once you’ve chosen the type of tournament you want to host, you can decide how to make it a success.
• Pick a tournament format: Four-man scramble is a popular choice, but there are lots of other options. About.com defines more than 150 tournament formats and other golf games, and The Complete Book of Golf Games is another great resource.
• Create a tournament website: A website is a valuable tool for publicizing your tournament, acknowledging its sponsors, and promoting the charity that will benefit from the program. A website also allows participants to register quickly and pay their tournament fees ahead of time. For tournament website creation tools, consider TournEase, Golf Digest Planner, or GolfRegistrations.com.
• Inform players of tee-times: It is a good idea to send out reminder emails/mailings of participant tee times and teams. Reminders should be delivered to players a week in advance. Also mention any events being held post-tournament.
• Let participants pick teammates: Allow players to pick their teammates. Offer a sign-up sheet on the on-line registration site. Make teams and tee times available for perusal on the site.
• When teeing off: On the first green have the starter announce the names of each player about to tee off. For corporate events, announce the company each player is representing. Recognition is always an incentive.
• While on the course: Everything a golfer may need while on the course should be readily available. Extra equipment should be kept on-hand in case it is needed. Refreshments and snacks should be offered periodically to each player. Golfers should be given any refreshment they choose and snacks should be prepared in a way that is comfortable to be eaten while on the course.
• Post-tournament: When the tournament comes to an end host an after-event ceremony or dinner. This will give both the golfers and guests the ability to interact with one another. The winner of the tournament can be announced at this time as well as a cause summary of the event.
• Get lots of feedback: On the day of the big event, make sure you’re out on the course mingling with the players. Get their impressions and record their ideas so you can make improvements for next year. It’s also a good idea to survey participants after the event for their comments and suggestions.
• Hole Sponsorship: Partner with your most important suppliers to sponsor the 18 holes on the course. This gives them some well need exposure to their important clients and raises money for the local charity.
Creating an Incentive Travel Program
/in Incentive Travel ArticlesLooking to start an Incentive Travel Program for your company?
Described below are three initial steps which should be taken before contacting an incentive travel partner.
Motivating employees to do their very best within your company is golden. As humans we revel in the opportunity to show our skills and thus be rewarded. Incentive trips have been proven to motivate employees like no other incentive offer.
Incentive travel programs allow employees to work towards a tangible reward. Also, a program such as this offers the possibility to satisfy each human being’s inherit desire to see and travel the world. As an innovative way to motivate employees, the positive impact an incentive travel program within a company can bring is worth looking into. The following three steps will help you in launching an incentive program which can potentially show an increase in business, employee retention, and office place morale.
Identify the goal.
A clear and concise goal must be defined in order to create a successful employee rewards program. A few examples of achievable goals are: increased profit, customer and employee retention, improved work place morale, improved employee productivity, and team building. In which of these areas will your company benefit from most? Although an incentive travel program will likely boost improvement in each of these areas, it is important to state a single common goal which employees can work towards. Once a goal is selected, provide each employee with a specific objective which they must meet to qualify.
Determine how to fund the program, and create a budget. Funding an incentive travel program should be considered a business investment which is likely to pay off for all parties involved (company and employee). There are two ways to fund the program. 1) Using a fixed amount of money dependent upon a projection of sales or a yearly budgeted amount. 2) Using a portion of expected increase in (monetary) performance which would be the result of the program.
Monitor employee performance.
Evaluate success indicators by tracking performance of employees through a variety of ways such as sales increases and customer retention. Employees must agree to a common goal which must be met in order to qualify for program participation. Goal measurement must then be agreed upon by both employees and employers. Flexibility must be considered in the event that extenuating circumstances arise which prohibits the employee from meeting the desired goal. The goal must not have the ability to be manipulated by either group and should be reasonable and attainable.
Incentive Travel programs should be created and performed with immense care. They are often big investments which have the strong ability to pay off extremely well when implemented correctly. Take time in finding the right incentive travel partner who will take all of the work and worry out of planning and executing a successful program.
Incentive Travel Cruising Benefits
/in Incentive Travel ArticlesA functional alternative to the normal fly and stay incentive travel program, cruising to a desired destination can be very beneficial. As the incentive travel industry makes a big comeback post-recession, new and creative itineraries are being utilized. The option of a cruise is becoming more and more appealing. Cruising provides many unusual travel opportunities that incentive travel providers and clients find value in. The top ten beneficial reasons to plan an incentive travel program aboard a cruise ship are provided below, in no particular order (that’s for you to decide!)
1. Unpack once, and done! Many incentive travel programs consist of dual (or more) itineraries to different destinations. It can often be stressful to unpack, re-pack, and unpack once again after traveling to yet another destination. Once settled on a cruise ship, your vacation can start and end worry-free.
2. Island hopping. A cruise enables passengers to visit and explore multiple islands, without boarding a plane (or packing).
3. Inexpensive cruise packages. The majority of cruise lines offer incredible cruise deals, especially for groups. Considering that many incentive travel programs are held in the summer, this is the best time for cruise package specials. Beating the summer heat is also an added bonus. Why stay in a scorching hot city when you can sail the high seas and feel the breeze of the ocean!
4. Private cruise sailings. In the instance that a large incentive travel group plans to take a cruise, it is a good idea to sail the ship privately. The entire ship and its crew are then able to devote all of their expertise solely to the group which enhances the level of service provided.
5. Something for everyone. No matter the age, cruise ships have activities for everyone on board. From rock climbing to water slides, golf lessons to a regulation sized basketball court, there is no shortage of exciting adventures to experience.
6. Less expensive airfare. Airfares to U.S. ports of call are much more affordable than to international destinations. Airlines often offer special rates to cities which are cruise ship ports of call. Also, there are now numerous ports of call along the coasts of the United States to choose from.
7. An abundance of food options. Cruise ships offer multiple dining options aboard, which are included in the fare. From buffets to formal dining, and sushi bars to pizza joints, there are always fresh and delicious options to choose from. Furthermore, dining is available at all hours. There are midnight buffets and around-the-clock room service, free of charge. For special occasions, many cruise lines have a steak house or similar restaurant aboard, for a nominal charge.
8. Remarkable views and sunsets. While sailing the seas there is no shortage of amazing views. Whether it be passing by an island and enjoying the view from afar, looking over the ships’ rails into the deep blue ocean and seeing an abundance of marine life, or basking in the glow of some of the world’s best sunsets, when the sun is descending upon the horizon, the views a cruise ship offers are hard to come by elsewhere.
9. Meeting and event spaces are free to utilize. Hotels and resorts often charge a hefty fee for using their event venues and function spaces.
10. A vast array of entertainment options. Enjoy a show in the theater, a movie on the top deck, dance the night away in one of the many clubs, play bingo in your down time, or laugh out loud in a comedy show.
Rome, Italy: An Incentive Travel Solutions Featured Destination
/in Featured DestinationsAbout: Rome
Once the capital of the world (caput mundi), Rome is a city incomparable to any other. Historical edifices are numerous around the city which is an epic metropolis harboring lost empires. The splendid monumentality of Rome encapsulates the spirit of the city.
Rome, the Eternal City, boasts over three thousand years of history and is often considered the center of western Christianity. Over its long span of history the city has been extremely influential to the cultural and religious ideologies of Europe. According to legend Rome was built on seven hills, at the center of which rises the great Palantine Hill, the all-powerful seat of the imperial residences of Rome which overlooks the Roman Forum and Colosseum.
Home to remarkable shopping and delicious Mediterranean cuisine, the heart of the Roman Empire has something to offer every taste.
The Forum & Colosseum
Every visit to Rome must include a visit to the ancient heart of the city, including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. The Colosseum of Rome was built in bricks and clad of travertine in a valley among the Palatino. For the enjoyment of Rome people, here were organized fights between gladiators or against wild animals and fabulous spectacles as “naumachie”, real navy battlements in the arena filled with water. Under the arena of the Colosseum there were numerous corridors and rooms aimed at welcoming the gladiators and the ferocious beasts that could be brought at the centre of the arena thanks to elevator carriages and access ramps.
The valley of Foro (Forum), nestled between the Seven Hills of Rome, was in ancient times a marsh. From the end of the seventh century B.C., after the improvement and drainage of the marshes, the Foro Romano (a forum) was constructed and this served as the centre of public life in Rome for over a thousand years.
The Vatican and Saint Peter’s Basilica
The Vatican City State is situated on the Vatican hill, on the right bank of the Tiber River, within the city of Rome. The pope has full legal, executive, and judicial powers. Executive power over the area is in the hands of a commission of cardinals appointed by the pope. The College of Cardinals is the pope’s chief advisory body, and upon his death the cardinals elect his successor for life.
St. Peter’s Basilica
(Italian: San Pietro in Vaticano) is a major basilica in Vatican City, an enclave of Rome. St. Peter’s was until recently the largest church ever built and it remains one of the holiest sites in Christendom. St. Peter’s Basilica stands on the traditional site where Peter – the apostle who is considered the first pope – was crucified and buried. St. Peter’s tomb is under the main altar and many other popes are buried in the basilica as well. Originally founded by Constantine in 324, St. Peter’s Basilica was rebuilt in the 16th century by Renaissance masters including Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini.
Dress Code
The Dress Code is strictly enforced at St. Peter’s Basilica. No shorts, bare shoulders or miniskirts. This applies to both men and women. Even if you get through security, you will be turned away by the attendants at the door.
Trevi Fountain
The Fontana di Trevi or Trevi Fountain is the most famous and arguably the most beautiful fountain in all of Rome. This impressive monument dominates the small Trevi square located in the Quirinale district and supplies the fountains in the historic center of Rome with water.
Tossing a Coin
The water at the bottom of the fountain represents the sea. Legend has it you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water. You should toss it over your shoulder with your back to the fountain.