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Travel Insider: Does One-Size-Fits-All Travel Really Fit All?
May 13, 2008
Offering a travel incentive is a great way to motivate your staffers to work diligently and produce desired results. However, without thoughtful planning and precision to satisfy all participants, the incentive won't accomplish much at all—in fact, it may even hinder your efforts.
By Brian Martenis
Before a company decides to offer travel as an incentive, its leaders must decide what the accomplished goal will be. Additionally, they must determine a long-term strategy as far as additional travel programs are concerned. Is this to be an important part of the company's "game plan" or simply a once-and-done motivator. Are they really "in," or do they have serious doubts concerning travel as a motivator?
Extravagant gatherings—such as an opening night where guests wind up drunk and pushing each other in the pool—may be fun and impressionable at the time, but chances are your over-the-top once-and-done won't happen again. Why? Because the time wasn't taken to make sure all of the participant's preferences were taken into account.
One-Size Does Not Fit All
Some folks are very uncomfortable with wild parties, such as my previous example of pool antics. Some people really don't want to watch some prima donna trip director perform karaoke. But everybody wants to have fun. Everyone loves to be catered to, entertained and made to feel special.
Here's how you can do just that:
1. Versatility and Variety
Choose a destination but know that your guests will be experiencing that destination and enjoying it in their own way. Make sure it offers as much as possible, or devise your own opportunities for fun and group bonding. For example, some of your more sophisticated hotels may be located in low-key areas and not offer much in terms of after-hours entertainment. If there is no nightlife, you will have to create it. Hold your own "Monte Carlo" disco night. Theme it the 70's and hire some casino games. Or throw a gala dinner with entertainment between each course.
 Note: Making requests of special dress in advance can make the ordinary extraordinary. I remember an occasion from years ago where an 18th-century costume ball was created at the magnificent one-of-a-kind Chateau Frontenac in Quebec. It was unforgettable.
2. Gauging Group Dynamics
Let's say you are planning a European program. Think of your possible participants: some will never really get over their jet lag and will want to stay mellow; others will hit the ground running on arrival; while others will be a mix of the two, wanting some excitement and the opportunity to relax. With so many different expectations, having a good sense of the group's dynamics is essential.
As the incentive planner, your job is to choose which activities will please the most people in the group. You must be sensitive to all individuals, while at the same time understanding that incentive travel programs are generally group-orientated and must be designed for the greater good of all participants. Get to know the basics about your guests. Age, sex, couples? Active, athletic, intellectual? Are they shoppers or foodies?
3. When Being Right is Wrong
Keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes—even incentive planners. Once in Berne, Switzerland I had my group of 200 do a walking tour in the late afternoon followed by an early reception and dinner in a really typical Ratskeller—totally charming and very Swiss! I was very happy as it seemed the perfect evening … until the main course was being served. The beef steeped in beer was tough, dry and a bit flavorless to our American palates. Unfortunately, I had seated myself next to a fellow that had no problem letting me know that my menu choice was unacceptable. Had I done my homework, I would have served a good old American ribeye with the polenta and other typical Swiss accoutrements.
On my walk around the dining room I noticed a lot of beef steeped in beer untouched on a lot of plates. Happily no one else was as verbal as my table mate, but the lesson was learned.
The lesson: Sometimes being right is still wrong, especially if it doesn't fit the group. No matter how wonderful your plans are, or how hard you work to make sure all participants are catered to, not everyone will be pleased all the time. Don't take it personally. Rather always look at the whole … Are most people enjoying themselves? Is the boss or your client smiling? If the answer is yes, you are doing fine.
When One-Size Really Can Fit All
Even if your group is made up of people you are very familiar with, you will have to dissect every aspect of your program and be sure it fits the "whole." Leave nothing in the program to chance. Menus must be selected and, if possible, tested. Rooming lists must be checked and double checked. Always insist on a pre-con meeting with the hotel and vendors. This sort of proper planning will always put you in a very good position to deliver an excellent incentive travel program.
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