Incentive Travel Programs vs. Merchandise Incentives

April 25, 2012 / in Incentive Travel Articles

Companies are beginning to see the benefits of choosing incentive travel over handing out merchandise. Despite popular belief, a trip reward is easier to budget and manage than its product-based alternative. Trip rewards provide a much longer effect than monetary or merchandise tactics. Here are a few of the reasons why a travel-based motivational approach is the simplest option:

• Buying Upfront Is Not Necessary

• No Time Required to Pick Out the Item

• Stocking and Shipping Are Non-Existent

• Do Not Have to Worry About Participants Having the Item

• No Contract

• No Minimum Fees to Guarantee Availability

• Prize Does Not Become Obsolete

• Remaining Product or Return Hassles Are Not a Concern

  
  

These factors greatly reduce the time required to manage one of these programs. A professional assists with the destination selection, planning, and implementation portion of an incentive travel program. Your company focuses on promoting the event and monitoring employee or customer progress. When it is all said and done, you pay with the profit already received from accomplishing the achieved goal.

Why Is This Approach Effective?

The opportunity to see a distant location serves as an immense driving force to any individual. Everyone wants the chance to walk on the sandy beaches of Fiji or to experience the artistic presence of Paris, but in many cases never gets the opportunity. Nothing has the motivational impact like a well-planned incentive travel program and products do not provide the same effect. Larger merchandise also loses recipient effect; however, the improved productivity usually made through other sales or team travel incentives has increased hype that can last throughout the entire length of the program with the right promotion. This excitement and inspiration allows the individual to earn experiences chosen destination and remains present long after they have returned to the normal work environment.

Experts Make the Process Easier

How does an expert service help make trip incentives better than any possible merchandise award? You must begin by choosing a provider with immense experience in the industry who has the ability to design not only the basic program but the grand reward. A quality service provider can tailor the package to your needs and reinforce the goal at all times as the main focus throughout its entirety. Experienced professionals perform these among other functions:

• Airline Booking

• Reserving Accommodations

• Itinerary Creation

• Sightseeing Tour Reservations

• Meeting Scheduling

• Charity Event Booking

• Day or Night Event Reservations

  
  

An incentive travel program can be awarded individually or to an entire team for their efforts. Individual awards are easy to manage whereas group travel entails a little more work. Group trips require more time to plan and secure; however, they offer the benefits of increased enthusiasm, shared satisfaction, and improved teamwork. A product-based approach cannot provide comparable results and this factor has caused numerous organizations to choose incentive travel programs over any other option. You will have to set goals, announce the contest, and promote the award for the duration of the program. Professionals take care of all the rest to make this approach just as rewarding for your company as it is for each winner.