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In late February, nearly 500 incentive planners and industry suppliers gathered at the Conrad Bosphorus Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, to celebrate the 51st anniversary.Yingshi Association for Excellence in Incentive Travel Annual Conference. In addition to soaking up the unique atmosphere of a destination that connects the Eastern and Western hemispheres, attendees took the time to share their thoughts and concerns about elements of the job.
Annette Gregg, CEO of SITE, pointed out that almost all the issues discussed had one thing in common: the workforce under 40 years old. According to research by PwC, this group will account for at least 65% of the workforce by 2030.
“This is already a well-traveled group that is very socially and culturally aware,” Greg said. “So, they want destinations that feel very authentic to them. While they certainly wouldn’t mind going to a tried-and-true award destination like Paris, they will want an overall experience that is truly local—events can’t feel It is fixed.”
Additionally, Gregg added, SITE participants found that people were more likely to choose physical activity programs. “In the past, people might have played golf all morning and then hit the pool, but now it’s more about nature hikes, bike rides, guided walks or team challenges that showcase culturally vibrant communities. Preselectors really want to Being able to bring their families; they don’t necessarily want a lot of alone time, but they do want some family-focused opportunities built into the agenda.”
Greg adds that building strong partnerships with destination experience providers is critical to success. “Go to local DMC networks and tour operators and ask, ‘How can we develop this program so that it feels like an immersive experience, rather than simply observing the culture as we travel through the destination?'”
Involve attendees in project development
In terms of business-focused projects, Gregg noted that the under-40 age group “is in the ascendant stage of their careers, which means they want to focus their time on organizational leadership.” “The data we’re seeing shows that preselectors want the program’s group interactions to be intentional—through dedicated time to listen to and engage with C-suite executives, and through peer-to-peer learning opportunities.”
To ensure that all of their program elements are correct, more incentive planners have been gathering feedback from potential participants in the early stages of planning. “There has to be a compelling story from the beginning,” says Greg (in photo). While it starts with showcasing some of the sensory elements of the destination through a compelling marketing pipeline, she says, “from there you have to guide potential qualifiers down a path of exploration and choice: ‘Here’s what we can add to the agenda. Some of the experiences – did you like them? What else would you like to see and do while we were there?”
“It will definitely take more work on the part of the organizers,” Gregg added, “but personalization will go a long way” not only in meeting eligibility requirements for the duration of the program but also in motivating more employees to get the program Qualifications. Then, “You can get some interesting reveals as the program gets closer,” emphasizing that the program elements you reveal come in part from their input.
Today’s reality: Attendees’ safety is paramount
Gregg noted that even with the current global tensions, “our survey results found that 75% of motivated buyers are willing to try a destination they haven’t tried yet. This is a huge shift from a year ago, when we Coming out of the pandemic, most organizations just want the qualifiers to feel safe and comfortable. I think that’s a real sign of confidence from the qualifiers in wanting to travel to exotic locations again.”
However, there are several key elements to this effort.First, “planners must involve local suppliers in security issues to increase everyone’s confidence in the destination. For our own event, Turkey’s host committee developed detailed security plans to potential attendees months in advance. . It begins: “It is clearly safe here; the conflict in our wider region does not affect us” and provides details as well as specific security measures They were taken away when they arrived. “
“I think it’s mostly a communication issue between the planner and the destination liaison, and then between the planner and the potential participants,” Gregg added. “Once this information gets out there, we see that people are really excited to travel to places they haven’t been before and try new things.”
The second part of MeetingsNet’s conversation (below) with SITE CEO Annette Gregg about issues discussed at the SITE Global Conference in Istanbul will be published on Tuesday, March 12, on MeetingsNet.com.
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