Corporate Travel Destinations

Large events, meetings, and seminars have traditionally be scheduled at conference centers and/or hotels, but that is all changing now. Cruise ships are the new ‘it’ place to host events of almost any size, for many good reasons. Here are a trio of very good reasons to consider:

• Go places, do things – One of the top reasons to opt for cruises over more traditional meeting environments is the fact that cruise liners take your places while you work instead of taking you to places to get work done. Add to this the limited distance between work and play, and cruises are nothing if not efficient and convenient.
• Amazing facilities – Hotels come in different quality levels, usually measured in stars. Cruise ships are an all-star affair, and every passenger is made to feel like an all-star. Putting a dollar value on having meeting participants felt like that are having their every whim met is nearly impossible.
• Affordable – Meetings and events held on cruise liners are surprisingly affordable. Why? Because one companies is providing everything. Instead of distributing the overhead of a catering company, a hotel, and a conference center over each participant, cruise liners have a single overhead to distribute. It is all about cost of customer acquisition, and that is what makes cruise meetings affordable.

Cruises are unique corporate destinations for a number of reasons, but one of the least considered reasons would be the fact that the trip really is the destination. Consider how much time busy businesspeople waste every year traveling all around the world in order to get to Conference A or Seminar B. Now take that time and multiply it by an executive salary, add in hotel and travel fees from multiple companies and the number quickly balloons in the billions or trillions of dollars.

Consider the difference that cruise meetings have ot offer to the bottom line:

• The amount of time that expensive business people spend on cruises tends to be more productive than time spent on aircraft and/or airports.
• Most cruises feature multiple ports of call, which makes flights shorter and less airline/airplane transfers likely.
• Businesspeople also get to recharge their mental and social batteries while on cruises, and that alone is difficult to put a price tag on. It certainly beats allowing high-powered individuals to take time off and spend time on the golf course.
• The fact that the method of travel is actually a destination in and of itself means that more work and more relaxation can be enjoyed.
• By getting more services from a single vendor, in this case the cruise line, it is possible to save lots of money.

Free enterprise and entrepreneurship are the cornerstones of American business and a core part of our collective psyche, of this there is no doubt. Sole proprietorships evolve into small businesses, grow into medium sized businesses, and can even become massive global corporations in much the same was as Wal-Mart has evolved, but part of that growth requires knowing about the role that corporate travel plays in growth. Here are a few points for anyone that runs their own business to consider when it comes to corporate travel:

Networking is essential, and it is not limited to the state, region, or even country any more. Today it is more important than ever to be networking all over the world as soon as possible. Who knows when a single trip will open a door that starts the ball rolling on something big?

Numerous business credit cards offer generous travel incentives and mileage perks, so take advantage of them while learning how to manage cash flow. This is the very essence of killing two birds with one stone.

Being aware of business conditions in other countries and adjacent industries is often the first step in avoiding future problems or being able to exploit future opportunities before the competition. The early bird gets the worm, and those that are late go hungry.

One of the best benefits of having cruise events is that, well, they are cruise events! This means that everyone gets to have a great time and escape their daily grind, unless they happen to work on a cruise ship. Since the chances of that rare occurrence seem remote at best, the simple fact of the matter is that anyone attending cruise events is likely to be inspired. In fact, even those that are not invited along for the cruise event are likely to be inspired. Consider the following:

Partners and suppliers that meet key goals and are offered a limited number of cabins on cruise events are likely to value the business relationship in terms that are measured in more than just dollars and cents. This can be very valuable as globalization continues to cause long-term market readjustments that can allow for fierce competition from new adversaries overnight.

Employees can be inspired by the opportunity to travel on the company dime, especially when it involves cruise events and rubbing elbows with the top brass. The stories they tell when they get back are likely to prove inspirational in their own right.

Executives and top talent are likely to consider cruise events to be perks, even if a little work or a few meetings are involved.

When organizations contact a meeting planner, they are often trying to plan corporate travel on a budget. Many organizations find themselves in this financial dilemma. They understand the need for business travel incentives, but because of they unstable economy their budgets are a bit constrained. Deciding where and how to save money when planning incentive travel can be somewhat tricky. Organizations do not want to be extremely frugal with destinations, accommodations, or dining because this can make incentive travel unappealing. For organizations that desire assistance with incentive planning, a meeting planner may suggest the organization scrutinize their program content. By eliminating unnecessary program content, an organization may be able to save thousands of dollars.

One meeting planner determined how much a company could save by eliminating bottled water from a 3-day meeting. It was determined that the company would save over $65,000 by not offering attendees bottled water. As one can see, small incidentals can have large expenses. While eliminating bottled water may not be right for every organization, this example shows the effect that seemingly insignificant items can have on an organization's business travel budget. By carefully scrutinizing a meeting's program content, organizations may be able to save a bundle.

It is imperative that a meeting planner have good understanding of what type of incentives will motivate the individuals employed by an organization. The travel incentives that work for one organization's employees may not always work for another. Therefore, a meeting planner has to use all of the meeting planning resources available to them when conducting business travel planning. According to some estimates, at least 10 percent of eligible trip participants chose not to take advantage of a business travel incentive because the trip was either unappealing or they experienced a timing conflict.

One way to ensure that incentive travel is appealing to the greatest number of eligible employees is for a meeting planner to do his or her homework. Simple surveys may not be adequate to determine those destinations that will truly motivate employees. A meeting planner will need to devise unique ways in which to tap into the desires of an organization's employees. Business travel incentives that seem impersonal and generic may not be appealing to the masses. Organizations need to make certain that the greatest number of their top performing employees are being rewarded through incentive travel, and a meeting planner can help organizations ensure this happens through superior planning.

Many people are conscious of what they eat, and they try to make healthy choices when dining out. As a meeting planner, it is important to offer corporate travel participants the option of enjoying healthier fare. From snacks to business dinners, a meeting planner should be aware of the food choices available to corporate travel participants. Because traveling can be stressful and stress can lead to unhealthy eating, it is essential that healthy food options be available throughout the day. Instead of choosing restaurants with buffets or food stations, selecting restaurants from which corporate travelers can order off the menu. While a meeting planner cannot make a corporate traveler make wise food choices, they can offer then the opportunity to do so.

Providing corporate travel participants with healthy snacks and ensuring they have plenty of water is also an excellent idea. Snacks such as fruits and nuts or smoothies and protein shakes can be great alternatives to other types of unhealthy snacks. Having plenty of water at their disposal will also help corporate travel participants to stay well-hydrated, which can boost energy levels and prevent unhealthy eating. A meeting planner cannot guarantee that meeting participants will eat healthy while traveling, but a meeting planner can make healthy eating possible.

When most people think of meetings, they imagine themselves stuck within the confines of four walls sitting around a table for several hours. For this reason, when a meeting planner suggests the idea of meetings at sea, some organizations may balk at this notion. Many mistakenly believe that a hotel or resort would be most budget-friendly than a cruise ship charter. From conference rooms equipped with the latest in technology to on-board rock climbing walls, a cruise ship charter can offer an organization a fresh perspective on meeting spaces.

Group cruise planning is a great way to get employees outside the four walls of the conference room and motivate them to be more creative and innovative. For example, meeting at sea may be held in suites or villas with their own private decks. For organizations looking for team-building exercises, a cruise ships can offer mixed-use sports decks for employees to participate in a variety of activities. A meeting planner should keep in mind that event planning does not have to be held in a venue with the traditional four walls. In order for organizations to encourage their employees to look beyond the four walls, event planners have to look beyond the four walls, too.

When an organization is looking to make their cruise event really special, a meeting planner may want to consider a group ship charter. There are many types of ship charters from which a meeting planner may choose, and some come with higher-class amenities than others. Exquisite ship charters can offer deluxe sailing for incentive cruises and meetings at sea. There are many advantages that a premium ship charter can offer. For example, the services offered on a premium ship charter can save an organization a significant amount of money compared to services priced separately at land venues such as hotels and resorts.

Deluxe ship charters offer services such as a personal butler in each suite. Cruise event attendees will be stunned by and appreciative of such personalized care. Not only do these deluxe ship charters come with a personal butler and top-rated personalized services, but the majority of these suites also have private verandas. These superior accommodations will leave attendees breathless. Furthermore, meetings at sea can be held in meeting spaces with necessary audio/visual equipment. After meetings and before retiring for the night, attendees can dine in their choice of one of many gourmet restaurants. For the best in cruise events and meetings at sea, deluxe ship charters should be considered.

Employees are often confined to offices or cubicles throughout the workday. They may have little time to interact with fellow employees, subordinates, or managers outside of the workplace. Even at the workplace there is little time for interaction outside of work-related topics or discussions. Employees are often busy working on projects that may include only a particular group of people, and the majority of the workforce may be unfamiliar with one another. A meeting planner understands the need to build in time for camaraderie when event planning. Whether this is accomplished through team building exercises or mutually agreeable leisure activities, building camaraderie is important for event planning.

Team building exercises are an excellent way to build camaraderie among employees. Team building exercises work great at any destination or venue. Group incentive destinations that are inherently more relaxing and offer attendees the chance to unwind are great venues for team building. Group incentive destinations that offer many leisure activities and entertainment options also provide attendees the opportunity to get know one another outside of the office. Finding common interests among employees is a great way to solidify a company's workforce. Choosing destinations that are ideal for team building and leisure activities can help build relationships among those employed by an organization.