Corporate Travel Destinations

According to the American Society of Travel Agents, the top corporate travel destinations include states such as Florida, Nevada, and California. Cities such as Orlando, Las Vegas, and San Francisco are popular destination sites, and trips to cities such as these can ideal for corporate incentive travel. However, when incentive planning for employees that perform over and above par, corporations may want to consider offering an incentive cruise for these top-notch employees. A cruise event is a break from the norm of land-based venues, and the lure of exotic destinations may be more motivating for many employees.

Top incentive cruise destinations for meetings at sea include the Bahamas, Aruba, the Virgin Islands, and Barbados. These Caribbean destinations are perfect getaways, and can help employees relax and unwind. Because the Caribbean is within close proximity of the U.S., 3-4 days cruises can be easily arranged. Corporate meetings held at sea can be very productive as employees are given the opportunity and venue to think creatively without the limitations of office walls. This time away from the office may be when some a corporations employees are the most innovative and imaginative. Other popular cruise destinations include Vancouver and Whistler, Australia, and Croatia.

There are many reasons for corporations to plan events close to their base of operations, but those reasons might be overshadowed by the benefits of selecting far away destinations. Here are the top four reasons to plan a corporate meeting far from the office.

1. New scenery and events shake things up, and there is nothing that will help get the creative juices flowing better than change. Staring at the same walls every day has employees trapped in the same rut, and an exciting change is likely to yield exciting results. A trip to the local park might not be as exciting as business cruise to a sun-drenched tropical getaway.
2. A cruise event might also be a great idea, as it combines both work and play. Team building exercises tend to work best when participants know each other well. Is there anything better than well-planned corporate travel/events to encourage teamwork?
3. Inclusive travel options mean that a cruise meeting or weekend retreat can be had at a fixed price. No more haggling, no more uncertainties, just a known quantity. This will keep the event planning sessions short and the accountants happier as well.
4. Employees, partners, and supplies may all appreciate incentive travel options. Rewarding performance and loyalty are excellent ways to build rapport.

When it comes time to plan a large corporate retreat, savvy meeting planners and/or event planners need to consider at least four different factors.

Distance & Travel – how far will the destination be from all parties? Remember that organizations with far-flung offices will need to find ways to transport the relevant from those offices to the destination in question. This can become an expensive venture rather quickly, but planners can mitigate this by planning ahead.

Scheduling & Jet Lag – Corporate travel is always a combination of work and play. Whether it is a cruise meeting, incentive travel, or a retreat, event planners should always try to strike a balance between work and play. Remember that jet lag may be a factor to contend with, so start off slow with events and meetings if possible.

Allergies & Location – Planning an outdoor event or a team-building getaway in the woods might sound great until Susan in accounting turns out to be allergic to the grass and Bob from sales cannot stop itching for some reason. Remember to consider allergies before planning any corporate event. If guests are being brought into the event, be sure to inquire as to their health needs.

Food & Drink – Many corporations prefer to self-cater, but it does not really matter who does the catering if those who have certain dietary needs are not being met. With vegetarian and vegan lifestyles becoming more popular, and a handful of religions taboos on foods, it pays to spend a good deal of time on food.

Carbon emission offsetting is a controversial topic. There are three basic schools of thought: those who wholeheartedly support it, those who believe it lets folks off easy and puts off finding other viable solutions, and those who think it is simply a money-making scheme. While not everyone believes carbon offsetting is the answer, it is certainly growing in popularity and is one way corporations can take an environmental stand and offset carbon emissions that are inevitable when travel and events take place.

If you are interested in learning more about carbon offsets for corporate travel and event planning, there are several websites dedicated to educating the public and offering offsets. Websites like carbonfund.org have carbon calculators for travel, business events and conferences, weddings and other activities, making it simple to help your clients estimate the amount of carbon their event or transportation will create. This allows them to determine the amount of offsetting they would like to undertake – if any – to mitigate the carbon emissions associated with their business meeting or corporate travel.

The bottom line is that offering carbon offsets for corporate travel and events is a simple way to expand the services you offer to corporate clients. Those who are interested in offsets will appreciate the convenience, while those who are not interested can simply not take part in that particular service. To find carbon offset sellers, visit Ecobusinesslinks.com, which has a list of non-profit organizations and for-profit companies offering carbon offsets.