This month’s Emerging Incentive Travel Destination isn’t an obscure one. Sometimes you want to go somewhere out of the ordinary and sometimes you want to go one of the most timeless, beautiful destinations on Earth, one that’s on just about everyone’s dream travel list: Hawaii.
Although Hawaii’s appeal certainly isn’t news, there are a few perks we feel are worth pointing out. For one, whatever you do in Hawaii is bound to please. Go classic with a luau or sunset gathering on the beach, or put a unique spin on the trip, as we did here at Incentive Solutions. “For one of our clients’ incentive trips, we planned a really cool dinner event at a local ranch called Kahua Ranch,” says event planner and incentive travel coordinator Justin Rieling. “We’re having dinner with an open bar and entertainment. We’re also giving guests cowboy hats, bandanas and having logo branding iron demonstrations. Oh, and a Celestron Telescope used for stargazing during the event.”
Whatever you do, people on your team will be thrilled to go on a trip to Hawaii and here’s why:
The Ultimate Bucket List Destination—The Most Motivating Travel Incentive
Think back on just how many times you’ve heard phrases like “I’d rather be in Hawaii” or “Just imagine you’re on a beach in Hawaii.” Hawaii is the ultimate dream vacation: a place to really get away from it all and try on a new frame of mind for a little while to escape the stress and fast pace of work.
As SmartMeetings put it in a new 2016 article, “Because of [their] overall allure, the Hawaiian Islands are consistently voted among the world’s top incentive destinations.” Almost everyone on your team likely either wants to see Hawaii or return someday. It’s one of the few incentive travel or corporate event destinations that’s virtually guaranteed to get everyone excited.
The Best Destination for a Special Corporate Event or Occasion
One of the best ways to promote a Hawaii incentive trip is by offering it for uniquely deserving accomplishments or very special occasions—ie, your company or department’s “Big Kahuna” travel reward. For instance, you might reward 30 high-ranking sales earners with a trip to Panama City, while those top ten performers who really went above and beyond earn a trip to a beautiful resort on the Hawaiian islands of Maui or Kauai. Or, perhaps you can get your workforce pumped for a big milestone year: “In honor of our company’s 50th anniversary, we’re holding our annual conference in Hawaii!”
A trip to Hawaii is highly coveted and will remain a vivid memory for years to come. It would be wise to leverage it for a time when you want to offer an incentive reward that’s guaranteed to motivate, or to inspire unrivaled excitement about an upcoming corporate event.
Package Deals for Incentive Travel Groups
All-inclusive package deals to Hawaii are virtually unheard of, but incentive companies like Extu are often able to attain Hawaii group travel deals due to the greater and more frequent volume of business incentive companies can bring to their network associates. Our Makena Beach & Golf Resort package, for instance, included daily breakfast, three-course dinners, cocktails before corporate meetings and events, a bar package, snorkel equipment and more. These package deals and perks benefit for incentive travel groups mean that those who might not ever have another chance to visit Hawaii can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the utopian islands of their dreams.
No International Group Travel Hassles
Hawaii has all the exotic appeal of places like The Bahamas and Jamaica without the need for a passport, which makes things easier if you people in your travel incentive program who have expired passports or don’t have them at all. With domestic travel to Hawaii, you can also avoid the currency conversion, booking fees, clauses, VISA requirements, immunizations and customs often associated with international travel.
Although there are many fantastic and out-of-the-ordinary destinations great for unique incentive trips, sometimes you just have to pull out all the stops and offer a travel reward or event site that no one can resist. Nothing else inspires quite the same iconic imagery that Hawaii does. You can never go wrong with a trip to one of the most talked-about, dream destinations in the world.
