Incentive travel can be quite successful for companies if it is used and planned responsibly. One of the greatest misconceptions about incentive travel is that it is used to reward “good” work. Fortunately, most competent and conscientious adults do not require incentives to simply do their job and do it well. Incentives, if used properly, can induce more than good work in employees. It can actually foster new behavior, which can help a company rise above and beyond their current levels of productivity. Of course, travel incentives must be something in which employees will be interested, and that is why companies should consider cruise events as travel incentives.

A ship charter can provide a completely different environment that may be conducive to creative thinking. Instead of mulling over old ideas and rehashing failed plans, an incentive cruise may be just what employees need to get a fresh perspective. A fresh perspective can lead to the new behavior that companies need and cherish. Meetings at sea could open a world of possibilities as employees explore exotic destinations and escape the daily grind. Seeing the world with new eyes on an incentive cruise, employees may gain a sense of understanding they did not have beforehand.

Corporate meeting planners always have to be on the lookout for attractive, affordable venues to add to their list of possibilities. Few companies want to hold meeting after meeting in the same location, particularly when it is clear that new environments can breathe new life into corporate meetings and can prove highly motivating. Even those companies that do not mind holding regular meetings at the same venue repeatedly will likely want a new location for bigger meetings or corporate events. Knowing that you are at least partially responsible for the success of the meeting, it is your job as a corporate meeting planner to ensure that your meetings take place in venues that provide the required logistics, as well as an environment that is conducive to productivity.

Naturally, you will have local hotels and banquet halls on your list of venue options, but it is also important to seek out unique locations to offer to your clients. For example, you may want to consider contacting local museums, wineries, landmarks, theme parks and zoos to inquire about their meeting facilities. If you are located in a smaller city or town, you should also familiarize yourself with the options available in the closest major city in your region. In order to accommodate your clients that require more unique options, you should also have information on hand regarding cruise ship meetings and venues located in popular corporate travel destinations around the world.

Are you always looking for ways to improve meeting attendance? Are enticing incentive travel destinations sometimes just still not enough? While opting for destinations in Mexico, South America, The Caribbean, The Bahamas or other exciting locations are usually enough to have attendees tripping over themselves to confirm their attendance, sometimes you need something special to really entice folks. Memorable, once in a lifetime experiences are the best way to ensure that your meeting attendance will improve, such as world-class sporting events, an incentive cruise, rare exhibits or concerts put on by musical icons are all sure to increase interest in your next corporate meeting or event.

If you plan your corporate event to be held in South Africa to coincide with the 2010 World Cup, or your next event to be held in the host city of the Super Bowl or to take place along with an event to honor the newest Hall of Fame inductee, and are able to procure tickets for these events for your attendees, you can be sure that attendance will soar. While this level of event may not fit comfortably into every company’s budget, these are simply examples of the possibilities for offering experiences your potential attendees will not want to miss. Other options that are more affordable include concerts, Broadway shows that are usually sold out or traveling exhibits that will likely only be in town for a short time and may never return.

As a planner, you know how business conferences can help employees become more productive, more motivated, and more valuable to a company. However, meetings can also create a more well-rounded employee as well. Here are two ways you can help businesses improve their employees’ breadth of knowledge through conference and meeting attendance.

Technology Transfer

This term may be old, but it’s a good one. Transfer of information happens even between conference/meeting session. When people have to choose between two sessions that they are interested in, they often ask for materials or information from others who attended the one they missed. Offer to plan interim meeting sessions for technology transfer, even if they are only for an hour a day. Reserve a room just for that purpose and schedule nothing else during that time. Read the rest of this entry »