Corporate Travel Destinations

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.

Corporate travel rewards can often be difficult to book. Trying to find out what an employee, retail partner, or prized client wants can be an exercise in futility. It’s often hard to get an answer if you ask, and if it’s supposed to be a surprise it’s just a guess anyway on the part of the Big Boss.

One destination that has a high rate of success and approval is the tropical island. Although it is generally a popular destination, the idea of the private island is sometimes forgotten. Anyone who wants to give the gift of relaxation, beautiful scenery, and peace should consider the private island as a destination.

Private does not necessarily mean free of options. It doesn’t mean your client will be marooned until she decides she is no longer stressed and can come home. It means that there are choices. She can stay in bed for the whole trip if she wants, lie on the beach and read, but there is sometimes golf, tennis, equestrian activities, and much more a short distance away. But on a private island it means you don’t even have to be aware of them.

These amazing destinations can also be romantic. If your client knows that the traveler has an anniversary coming up, you can book a honeymoon island. You can find special dinners for couples, and even activities just for the two of them.

So before you throw your hands in the air in despair over a difficult plan, find out if there is space on an island somewhere. You have a good chance of being successful.

By the time your clients’ meeting participants sit themselves down on a plane, they have already been screened, asked questions and gotten suspicious looks by airport personnel (as all travelers do). They may have been rushed through a process designed to make them feel more secure, and maybe even had their belongings sifted through and shoved back into their bags willy nilly. At the gate they may have experienced more hold-ups, the flight might have been late, or may have experienced other delays and stresses. This is not your doing and not your problem, but you may be able to mitigate the effects.

Although participants will likely not associate those experiences with you, the meeting planner, they will remember you if you have provided a little comfort for them. To make the travel experience better for your clients’ members, consider making up travel packs to be delivered before the flight. Depending on the length of flight, include items that target a traveler’s basic needs–relaxation, rest, staying occupied, and a little energy. Here is a list of things to pick and choose from: Continue reading »