benefits of incentive travel, business travel

Unlock the benefits of incentive travel

Imagine an employee recognition programme that goes beyond the usual. An employee incentive travel programme is exactly that – a way to reward your exceptional team members with unforgettable experiences.

Picture your top performers basking in the sun on a pristine beach, exploring vibrant cities, or enjoying luxury resorts.

This kind of reward not only shows your appreciation but also ignites a spark in your entire team, motivating everyone to reach for the stars.

Why implement a travel incentive programme?

Incentive trips are a tool for boosting motivation and recognition efforts. These unforgettable journeys create exciting events your team can anticipate, foster stronger teamwork, and unite everyone around shared goals. With incentive travel, you're not just rewarding your employees – you're creating lasting memories and driving unparalleled performance.

Corporate travel incentive programmes create a competitive working environment that leads to increased loyalty among colleagues. More than 80% of those who received travel rewards felt appreciated by their company.

1. Incentive programmes can improve company culture

Incentive travel can elevate company culture by highlighting your business's positive attributes and showcasing its success. These rewarding trips boost your company's reputation and can enhance brand loyalty, as employees are more likely to speak highly of the company to their friends.

2. Benefits of an incentive trip

One of the key benefits of incentive travel is increased employee motivation. These trips break up the daily routine and provide a much-needed stress relief for your hardest-working team members. While business travel serves a purpose, incentive trips are all about fun and celebrating shared achievements, creating lasting memories and reinforcing a sense of appreciation.

Offering incentives can increase retention, employee productivity, job satisfaction, and strengthen employee loyalty. One US study found strong benefits to employees reduce the likelihood of turnover by 26%.

Creating performance-based incentive travel programmes

These trips are directly tied to your company’s goals. By setting clear performance metrics, your company can reward top-performing employees or teams with an unforgettable trip. Whether it’s hitting project milestones, smashing sales targets, or exceeding key performance indicators (KPIs), these trips are the perfect motivator.

Recognise your top performers in style, provide exclusive networking opportunities with senior managers, and lay out plans for continued success. This approach not only rewards excellence but also fuels future achievements, creating a culture of high performance and relentless ambition.

Promoting incentive travel trips to motivate employees

For performance-based incentive programmes to truly shine, you need to get your employees buzzing. Kick things off by clearly outlining the business goals and the amazing travel rewards they can earn.

Communication is the secret sauce. Keep the momentum going with regular, high-energy updates on the programme's progress. Ignite your team’s drive with monthly or quarterly updates packed with motivation and encouragement. This constant engagement not only keeps excitement high but pushes your employees to chase those incredible rewards.

3 tips to elevate corporate incentive trip programmes

1. Balance authentic destinations with value for money

Today’s travellers crave off-the-beaten-track experiences that break away from the mainstream. Ditch the simple rest and relaxation trips and craft a reward that blends authentic cuisine with rich cultural experiences. Imagine exploring the hidden gems of South East Asia or the stunning allure of Mauritius. These destinations offer incredible value while delivering an adventure that your top performers will remember forever. Turn reward trips into a journey that celebrates success in the most thrilling way possible!

2. Design the travel programme for different travel styles

Employees on incentive trips come with diverse ages and personalities, so why not cater to everyone’s tastes? Plan a dynamic mix of interactive events, team activities, and individual leisure time to suit all preferences.

Plan time to recharge on travel days, then kick off the adventure with thrilling team activities on the first full day. This strengthens group bonds and sets the tone for an epic journey by sharing key information about the itinerary, expectations, and emergency contacts.

3. Consider incentive travel around sporting events

Getting tickets to major world sporting events, and accommodations as well, can be a major challenge for anyone. But securing tickets to incentivise your team could be a huge productivity boost!

Imagine attending an event like the World Cup or the Olympics with your team. Events like these can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for anyone whether they're sports-neutral or full-on enthusiasts. Host cities are often chosen for their cultural attractions and ease of travel, so they tend to be interesting destinations with accessible travel.

Transforming your incentive travel programme into an adventure can boost motivation and performance dramatically. By offering unique, off-the-beaten-track experiences and world-class events, you create unforgettable rewards that celebrate success and foster team unity.

About Flight Centre Travel Group

The Flight Centre Travel Group is one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. The company, which is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, has company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in dozens of countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia. ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) also operates the global FCM corporate travel management network, which extends to more than 100 countries through company-owned businesses and independent licensees, along with Corporate Traveller, the flagship business specific to the small-to-medium-sized enterprise sector. For more information, visit fctgl.com.