Corporate Travel Destinations

The world is full of unique corporate travel destinations, but the Pacific Rim has been the focus of the majority of business travel for the past few decades. It appears that Latin America might be making a comeback despite some countries in the area still holding less than friendly political feelings towards the United States in particular and developed nations in general.

That notwithstanding, the fact of the matter is that Latin America is booming and is ready for business. Corporate travel destinations have been established in Mexico, not far from major manufacturing facilities and textile plants. Brazil has an amazing number of extremely high tech manufacturing facilities that produce everything from vehicles to the latest microprocessors. No longer are countries like China, Japan, and Taiwan looking like good long term investments, but Latin America also has plenty more to offer.

Unique cultures, values that more familiar to those from Western cultures are also on tap as well as lower airfares and governments that seem less likely to support local businesses over the rule of law. The result is that longer term investment in Latin America is just another great reason to consider many of our southern neighbors for your next corporate travel destination. The changes a few decades have brought can be truly amazing.

Corporate travel is always a balance between profitability and exclusivity. Simply put, profitability is the benefit derived from any activity minus the costs and opportunities lost by taking the course of action. This causes many to inherently think of affordable destinations for corporate travel, but this is where exclusivity comes into play. Exclusivity is the concept that the more unique or interesting the destination, the more the trip is generally worth in a less quantifiable manner.

For example, an incentive cruise for employees to Hawaii is probably considered to be a lot more interesting than an incentive travel promotion to Nebraska. While there is nothing inherently wrong with Nebraska, it is simply not considered to be as exclusive and/or interesting as Hawaii. The key is to strike a balance between cost effective travel options and here are a handful of destinations that are surprisingly cost effective while generally being viewed as very exclusive:

Bimini – While small, it is a very affordable locale for hosting small gatherings and meetings. Just do not plan anything during hurricane season.

Oregon – Believe it or not, Oregon is home to a wide range of climates and terrain, which makes from some very interesting and affordable locales.

Sedona – Gorgeous sunsets, excellent hiking, top-notch spas and world-class golfing make this relaxed venue a great spot for meetings and corporate events.

When most business people think of exotic corporate travel, they start to conjure up passports and visas that are required to travel to some far flung exotic location. Instead, consider some of the more interesting and exotic corporate travel destinations within the U.S. such as:

Las Vegas – There are few destinations within the borders of the United States that have as much variety to offer business travelers as Las Vegas. Even Atlantic City takes a distant second to this jewel in the desert.

Hawaii – Sun-drenched Pacific islands that have been included in countless movies and television shows for their raw natural splendor are obviously the very definition of exotic. That does not mean that Hawaii is not affordable, though a plane ride or cruise will be required due to its location.

Alaska – Looking to cool things down a bit? Try ice fishing in Alaska or simply booking a hotel with an amazing view of glacier-capped mountains and pristine forests blanketed in snow.

The Florida Keys – Florida’s keys are amazingly gorgeous, and full of history. Add to this the number of quality hotels offering inclusive travel options, and the Keys are a particularly exotic yet practical domestic destination.

The Grand Canyon – Looking for a great getaway that still has creature comforts and is perfect for outdoor meetings? The Grand Canyon in the northern section of Arizona is affordable and awe inspiring.

Inclusive business incentives are a type of travel that includes everything that the traveler will typically need. This ranges from the business meeting rooms to meals and a room, and may even cover a few recreational activities in some cases. The good news is that not only are inclusive business incentives easy to plan, they are affordable and good for public relations.

Why are inclusive business incentives typically good for public relations? The answer is that most of the venues offering the best deals on inclusive business incentives are developing countries that are placing an emphasis and promoting their tourism infrastructure. Governments around the world are passing law after law to compete for inclusive business travel of all kinds, which typically makes the inclusive business incentives even more desirable as the locations can be very exotic.

There are also more traditional inclusive business travel destinations that also offer great inclusive incentives, but the best deals are often in developing nations. For those that prefer specific destinations, such as Hawaii or the Cayman Islands, there are still great bargains to be had by going with inclusive travel planning versus paying the local rate and negotiating with several vendors for a wide variety of goods, services, and entertainment options. This makes inclusive business incentives affordable compared to any alternative, even if the good PR option is not taken.

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.

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has released data from a 2010 survey showing the top destinations for summer travel in the United States. Topping the list for eight years running, Orlando, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada continue to be the most popular summer travel destinations, which will surely come as no surprise to travel planners. These hot summer destinations offer sun, warm weather and a wide variety of attractions that appeal to couples, business travelers and families, making them a good choice for both corporate and leisure travel. Due to their popularity, choosing one of these cities as a conference venue or incentive travel destination is sure to increase interest in the event or award.

In addition to Orlando and Las Vegas, other cities in the top ten include San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Honolulu, Seattle and Washington, DC. ASTA also provided data showing the most popular summer travel destinations for 2010 at the state level, which included:

1. Florida
2. Nevada
3. California
4. New York
5. Hawaii

These destinations prove to be among the top summer travel spots year after year, which is important information for corporate travel planners. Knowing the trends regarding the most popular destinations provides valuable insight into which locations will likely be most enticing when selecting destination cities for corporate events, business meetings or incentive travel programs.

Nearly all corporate travel destinations will have numerous museums that have permanent historical exhibits, host art exhibits or provide access to rotating cultural exhibits and events. Many cities even have a particular district that is home to several museums within walking distance of each other, such as Tacoma’s Museum District, San Diego’s Balboa Park, Cape Town’s Green Point District and Houston’s Museum District. With many options in close proximity, your attendees will have increased choices and the ability to select the exhibits that are of the most interest to them. This makes museums an easy, convenient option for adding to a list of local attractions given to attendees; however, you may also want to consider this low-cost entertainment option as part of your scheduled activities.

Museums usually offer rather affordable admission rates, making them a cost-effective option for corporate travel planners. But, savvy planners know that they can save even more by looking into group discounts or looking for free admission days that coincide with the dates of their corporate event. It is quite common for museums to offer at least one free admission day each month, with some entire districts offering free admission to all of the museums on a particular day. If this day happens to fall during your planned event, this is a great opportunity to offer an educational, enticing activity that will appeal to your attendees and help you stay within budget.

Beautiful Acapulco has been attracting visitors since the Spanish arrived in the early 1500's.  For more than 200 years, the city's geography provided an ideal haven for Spanish galleons loaded with precious cargo, which prompted an annual merchant fair.  It's a tradition that has continued, with the city playing host to many large conferences at meeting hotels and the Acapulco Convention Center, which features more than 180,000 sq.ft. of total event space.

Acapulco is the original Mexican resort, linked to the Hollywood jet set of the 1950's and '60's, and still features a vibrant nightlife. 

Acapulco is still one of the exotic and popular corporate travel destinations that your incentive trip winners will love.

When you think about the “Pacific Coast,” you are likely thinking of the seaboard of the western United States. Maybe even Hawaii makes it into your mental fray. However, if your client wants to book Pacific business travel you may be dealing any one of a host of other countries.

Asia

While Asia encompasses many different countries, a great deal of the business travel happens in China, Japan, India, Thailand, and a few other smaller countries (many of them Islands). These days Indonesia stands out as an Asian destination, as do several other of the beautiful islands in that area of the world. Continue reading »