With travel restrictions now lifted, incentive travel is at its peak again. Event professionals are busy organising and delivering incentive travel programmes that have stopped in the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But with all the changes happening in the travel landscape in recent years, incentive travel has also evolved, bringing exciting shifts in programs designed to make incentive travel more rewarding. 

Here's how incentive travel is changing business around the world.

Company Incentive Advantages 

Businesses have long used company incentive programmes to engage, motivate, and reward employees. But in recent years, many companies have gone beyond the usual by sending employees to some of the world's most fascinating destinations. Despite the higher investment that comes with it, many companies believe it's worth it, as it brings in many advantages both for the employees and the company.

Sending the team on an incentive trip is one of the best ways to bring people together, strengthen relationships, and motivate them to do their best. And all of this happens outside the workplace, motivating the team even further. For instance, a pizza party after work at the office is not the same as travelling to an exotic island and staying one or two nights in a beach resort. 

Incentive travel can successfully motivate employees since it taps into the human's instincts for exploration. Most people crave adventure, but only a few can take the time to get away and explore. Even those with enough budget to indulge could miss out on the opportunity to travel due to life commitments that demand time. Travel incentive programs allow employees to tick some items off their bucket list without worrying about finances.

Employee Engagement 

Some of the world's best companies want to have a team of engaged employees who constantly strive to improve and deliver beyond expectations. However, it is a struggle for many companies to find means to engage employees and motivate them to perform at their best. Incentive travel is a sure-fire way to engage your staff. Travel incentive programs create a sense of anticipation and a great reward, especially during trying times.

While you may spend money to send employees on an incentive trip, it's worth it. Engaged employees are an asset to your company. They are more productive and are eager to help the business to succeed. For many employees, travel incentive can be their "light at the end of the tunnel," inspiring them to persevere during tough times.

Additionally, those employees who have already benefited from incentive travel will remember their experiences, leaving them with happy memories to treasure for the rest of their lives, from delicious food to exciting activities and stunning locations. These experiences will motivate them to persist and go above and beyond whenever they face difficulties at work.

Optimum Productivity 

Even the best employees must go on break to perform at their best. Studies show that many employees are at their most productive after a holiday. Offering opportunities for long-deserved breaks far from work makes employees more productive. The trip can promote and support mental health and wellness, which are the key to increased productivity.

In today's hectic world, it's unfortunate that many employees suffer from mental stress, from meeting deadlines to working on complicated projects and job insecurity. The mental stress can significantly affect their performance at work, resulting in lower productivity levels.  

Optimum productivity is undoubtedly one of the benefits of sending your employees on an incentive trip. While on the trip, your staff will be away from work and in a new environment outside their office. Therefore, once back to work, they will feel refreshed and ready to face their responsibilities with more vigour. Hence, an incentive travel program can be an excellent investment as it ensures increased productivity, which can financially benefit the company.

Brand Building  

We now live in a generation of social media, where people post almost everything that's going on in their lives. Thus, sending your employees on an incentive trip can boost your brand's reputation. When your staff posts about their incentive trip on social media, this will leave people wondering how great of a company you are for providing such an incredible rewards program. 

When your company earns a reputation for being good at looking after its employees, it can certainly improve and enhance your brand. Many companies will be willing to partner or work with you. And when your company needs to hire new employees, it will be much easier to attract some of the top talents in your industry. Given your brand's reputation, many employees will be eager to be part of your organisation, which can be an advantage for companies in an industry where attracting the top talents can be a challenge.

Offering an incentive travel program is one of the best ways to build your reputation. If your employee posts about their wonderful experience during their trip, it can boost your brand reputation.

Better Workplace Culture

Offering an incentive travel programme is one way to build a better workplace culture. The announcement of the program can already stir excitement in your employees, and on the days leading up to the trip, there will be cheerful competition among the team, motivating them to work hard to earn the reward. All these can improve the office environment, creating a positive workplace culture.

Throughout the trip, participants can build deeper connections as they share fun experiences and bond over fun activities, which can help establish a positive workplace culture. When they return from the trip, you will find them more comfortable working together towards helping the organisation achieve its goals.
Many benefits can come from a positive workplace culture. One of these is an increased retention rate. Employee turnover can cost companies a lot of money. Hence, it's often a good idea to retain existing employees rather than spend more money to onboard new ones. An effective incentive travel programme can improve workplace culture, enhancing retention.