There are two driving forces behind the push for stay-cations: the current economic crisis and the green movement. As individuals and families are feeling the pressure of financial hardships and increasing numbers of people are committing to lowering the impact their lifestyles have on the environment, the world of vacations and travel is changing. More and more people are opting for cost-effective day excursions or nearby travel destinations that require less transportation and inflict less damage on the environment, while still being filled with fun activities and opportunities to make lasting memories. This new form of vacations is being called stay-cations by some, and companies are beginning to jump on the bandwagon to apply this idea to their incentive travel programs and corporate events.
The benefits for companies that opt for incentive travel destinations and corporate event locations that are nearby include significant cost savings, particularly in regards to transportation costs, and a positive public image that shows a commitment to limiting your company’s carbon footprint. Both of these can be very enticing and are often enough to convince a company to bypass exotic locations and opt for staying close to home. This can certainly help a planner keep things under budget, but it also puts additional pressure on the incentive travel or event planner to come up with an enticing nearby destination and appealing entertainment options that will please participants who may be accustomed to boarding a plane and heading to an exotic locale.
Incentive travel planners may find themselves arranging travel packages for a variety of winners, including some with high salaries and others with more moderate incomes. Because of this, planners must ensure that all of their participants will be able to enjoy their travel awards equally, particularly if staff members at different pay rates will be traveling to the same destination at the same time. Fortunately, there is a very simple, convenient way to accomplish thus that is sure to appeal to all of the participants that receive travel awards: cruises.
Incentive cruises are an excellent option for incentive travel and provide an all-inclusive travel package that will allow each of your winners to fully enjoy their travel incentive, regardless of their personal budget. With included meals and snacks, complimentary room service, first-run movies at no charge, use of fitness facilities at no additional cost, free onboard activities, nightly entertainment and duty-free shopping, travelers at all income levels will find incentive travel cruises an appealing, enjoyable experience.
Opting for incentive cruises also provides additional benefits to the incentive travel planner and the company paying for the travel awards. As a cost-effective option that is simple to organize and sure to encourage employees to perform, cruises are an ideal choice when it comes to planning incentive travel.
London is one of the world’s most visited cities. With its combination of historic buildings, renowned museums and galleries and the best in dining, clubbing, entertainment and now a new range of boutique hotels, you won’t run out of activities for your meeting attendees.
It’s no surprise that London is full of hotels of various sizes and standards. Famous and expensive hotels sit alongside smaller guesthouses, but it is the boutique hotel that’s currently proving a popular choice with meeting planners with small groups. Small and stylish, with impeccable service and a real atmosphere rather than one manufactured by the marketing department of a large hotel chain, staying in one of these hotels can only make your trip to London more enjoyable.
There’s so much going on in London that even the residents don’t see it all. Plan your event so that your attendees can enjoy a little bit of history at the Tower of London or St. Paul’s Cathedral for example; some of the treasures and paintings in the museums and galleries; a show in the West End and some great drinking and dining.
Tough economic times and shrinking budgets do not mean that your company must eliminate incentive travel packages. On the contrary, there are many cost-effective packages that will meet your needs and reward your employees for their hard work, without breaking the bank.
For example, companies based in Los Angeles, or other Southern California cities can opt for incentive travel that is a little closer to home and far more cost-effective than extravagant, exotic trips. Two- to four-day incentive cruises that stop in San Diego and popular Mexican ports provide a number of low-cost options for incentive travel. Other options include weekend trips to Solvang or Santa Barbara, or train trips up the coast.
Companies that are based in Seattle, Tacoma or the Greater Puget Sound area also have a wide variety of low-cost incentive travel options. Amtrak offers special train travel packages to the popular town of Leavenworth at certain times of the year and has regularly scheduled service to Vancouver, Canada. Seattle also has a major cruise port with cruise lines offering two- to four-day cruises to Victoria Island and Vancouver, or to stops along the coast to San Francisco, California.
These, of course, are just a few options that are available for these two major business centers, but regardless of where your company is located, there are cost-effective incentive travel packages available that will assist you in showing your appreciation to employees and encourage high productivity, while helping you stay within your allotted travel budget.
Upscale but relaxed, the Beaumont Ranch is the Official Best Guest Ranch in Texas for 2009. the ranch offers a great variety of options to meet your needs. The ranch specializes in corporate events, offering team building activities and meeting sites. Also enjoy fishing, hunting, trail rides, rodeos, barbeque and more!
Hawaii is one of the most desirable meeting and incentive destinations. It is a place that inspires your attendees, and one that people everywhere in the world dream to visit. Participation in Hawaii incentive events generally exceeds expectations, so Hawaiian incentives can be relied on to deliver on ROI. This is true especially in tough economic times.
The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), offers meeting and incentive planners "one stop shopping" to plan a meeting in Hawaii. They have the resources, knowledge, and connections to maximize the value of a business meeting experience for planners and their clients. They recently launched an exciting new online initiative called the Added Value Resource Center at BusinessAloha.com. Planners can go to the site and take advantage of several innovative programs to help them save money, without sacrificing the quality of the overall Hawaii meeting experience.
There are thousands of luxury hotels located all across the world. Soft beds and pampering are wonderful, but if your client wants something a bit out of the ordinary, suggest a stay in picturesque Cappadocia. Where else can you stay in a cave hotel, visit rock churches, and explore amazing underground cities?
Before you dismiss the idea of holding a meeting in a cave out of hand, consider this: the Elkep Evi Cave Hotel was featured in the Lonely Planet travel guide in 2008. Rates are very affordable at $92 for a single cave room and $127 for a double cave room. The hotel offers a honeymoon cave; surely, an experience a couple can talk about for a lifetime. Rooms can be upgraded to include a Jacuzzi or Turkish bath.
Guests take their breakfast on a hilltop garden, far away from the hectic pace of the office. The lovely scenery is a refreshing tonic that will inspire a team or refresh a traveler. Horseback riding, hiking, motorcycle tours, and hot air ballooning add charm to the travelers stay.
Images on the website entice people who want something out of the ordinary and off the beaten track to pay the area a visit.
