Incentive Travel Index

Incentive travel is becoming a necessary part of company culture due to its numerous benefits. Its purpose is growing in importance and evolving over time.

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The most important benefits of incentive travel are changing. Western Europe, North America, and Rest of World are shifting to soft power benefits, while Asia-Pacific (APAC) respondents are seeing hard power as becoming more important.

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Many end-user companies have senior leadership that view incentive travel as ‘need to have’ (53%) and are ‘highly engaged’ in planning (37%).

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Challenges and Channel Dynamics

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Costs are becoming increasingly important as inflation is a major future challenge across all industries and regions.

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The recent operating environment has tested even the strongest relationships, with planning uncertainty and limitations such as airlift and resort availability. Survey results confirmed this situation, as among buyers and sellers, many indicated relationships are challenging, difficult, uncertain or weakened, even as some of their colleagues referred to relationships as strong, stable or efficient.

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DMC Considerations

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50% say that the presence of a good DMC is increasing in importance.

42% Agree that current DMC pricing models are outdated and should be fee-based.

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Support from DMOs

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51% say that destination expertise is the most useful support from DMOs. 48% Say that assistance with venues and DMCs is the most useful support from DMOs.

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Destination Selection

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Across regions, buyers expect to increase incentive travel to destinations that are within closer proximity, while considering destinations not used before.

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While decreasing the distance of travel and increasing resort use, buyers are still looking for new destinations they haven’t used before.

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Shift in Programme Design

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The future of incentive travel sees program characteristics and considerations changing and differing by region.

47% of buyers are seeing a shift in programme focus towards motivational events that cross functions.