Corporate Travel Destinations

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.

When planning for a successful executive retreat, there is much more to keep in mind than simply finding the right venue and arranging for transportation and accommodation. Of course, these are critical aspects of retreat planning, but if you are also involved in the hands-on planning for the day-to-day aspects of the executive retreat, these seven tips will help you plan for success.

Ensuring the success of an executive retreat starts long before arriving at your destination. Here are seven tips for meeting planners to make sure your executive retreat is productive and effective:

1. Double-check your guest list. It is crucial that you make sure you have invited all of the major players and that they are on your list for receiving materials and planning logistics.
2. Determine the main goals and objectives for the retreat.
3. Distribute materials beforehand that clearly state these goals and objectives so that your participants know what to expect.
4. Assign homework to ensure that your participants are prepared.
5. Send out reminders a few days before the retreat to make sure everyone remembers to complete and bring their homework.
6. Arrange to have a professional facilitator run the business portions of the retreat.
7. Assign someone with the task of maintaining a thorough record during the retreat of who volunteers or is assigned to complete tasks, as well as the deadlines.