Corporate Travel Destinations

More and more businesses are tightening their budgets, but that leaves an opening for businesses willing to offer inventive travel to their staff, partners, suppliers, customers, and/or political contacts. Here’s what you really need to know when you start planning your incentive travel options:

• As the competition retreats into walls of financial security, you get the opportunity to step up your relations with workers, vendors, suppliers, and other contacts. Use it or someone else will.
• If you do decide to invest extra in incentive travel options to redefine your business, make sure everything else is suitably classed up. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so building a strong link next to several weak links is not a good idea.
• Make sure that the offers are given to the right people. Employees tend to enjoy competitions, but some suppliers or partners might take umbrage to finding out that a peer was invited on a company-sponsored vacation when they were not.
• Be sure to target partners or vendors that look like they have more than just the bottom line in mind, and look carefully at employees that are worth far more than they are being paid. Both are likely to look at other options when they get the chance.

While internet booking options may offer some advantages, such as saving money, there are several disadvantages to this type of travel planning. The first and greatest disadvantage to internet travel booking is the lack of personal or direct knowledge in regard to the services being booked. Businesses are not provided the opportunity to speak with an experienced travel agent or meeting planner to assist them with their service booking when using internet booking options. Additionally, businesses are often faced with a limited itinerary that are further restricted by certain conditions. This is especially true if the business is looking for discounted travel options. Furthermore, there are no free perks with internet booking.

For those that still prefer to book corporate travel using online options, it will be important to use an experienced and dependable online travel planning service. Those wishing to book corporate travel will benefit from the expertise of skilled and trustworthy online travel planners. While there are many sites that businesses may use to plan their own travel itinerary, using an online travel service will ensure that businesses get the best prices available and that all travel needs are taken into consideration. Online travel planners can help make booking corporate travel less stressful and more affordable.

There are two extremes to consider when planning corporate travel: all-inclusive options or planning every single detail. Here are some points to consider when deciding which way to go:

If your sole purpose at the company is to plan travel and there are really no other tasks to perform, all-inclusive travel options can still be used at the end of research if they are viable. Using all-inclusive options as a go-to option every single time might be a quick way to end up on the unemployment line or with a promotion, depending on the situation.

All-inclusive travel is often a great way to save time and money, but it sometimes lack in options. This is generally not a problem for the vast majority of people, but those with special needs will probably need to plan at least some of the details. Since many all-inclusive incentive travel options are all or nothing, this means that a few custom options that are above and beyond the call of duty might require planning every single detail.  An all inclusive incentive cruise is a great way to save and thrill your attendees.

Planning every detail might seem like a great way to save money, but it often ends up being more expensive. Add to this the time and effort put into planning and it is easy to see why all-inclusive travel options are so popular with so many business travelers.

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 it comes time to start discussing corporate travel options and ways to justify the expenses, which are usually very low compared to leisure travel, it is possible to forget the tax benefits of corporate expenses. While tax law is incredibly complex, the following generalities are often accurate and beneficial to the company’s bottom line:

• By availing themselves of the networking opportunities and other business options, most businesses can find it very easy to allow for their business trips to qualify as business expenses that can be written off as tax deductions.

• Tax deductions related to travel may not necessarily be on a 1 to 1 basis in terms of dollar value, but having a loss largely consumed by tax liability that in turn presents business opportunities or advantages is generally considered to be a great idea.

• Excellent records should be kept of all corporate travel expenses. Consider using inclusive travel options for easier accounting and less time spent planning.

As with any tax-related issue, it would be wise to consult with a qualified accountant to make the final determination regarding what is and is not allowed for deductions. A short meeting with the staff accountant or outside accountant could be the difference between stepping up to the challenge and opportunities available or continuing on a stable but less profitable path.

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.

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.

Embarking on barge cruises on the rivers of Europe has become a popular option for both business and leisure travel; however, companies with smaller budgets or time constraints that will not allow them to send their employees or clients overseas can still partake in river cruising. River cruises are perfect for incentive travel for employees or customers, executive retreats, smaller corporate events and fundraisers. With many river cruise options available in the U.S., river cruising is a viable, affordable option for companies large and small.

American river cruises include ships on some of the better known rivers in the U.S., such as the Mississippi River, Missouri River and Columbia River, as well as the Great Lakes and rivers that run through Alaska, the South, the Heartland and other regions. River cruise ships offer the luxury and comfort of seafaring vessels, although they are much smaller than their oceangoing counterparts.

Because of their smaller size and more intimate environment, river cruises are particularly well-suited for team building vacations, executive retreats and incentive travel packages. River cruises can take place on a barge, steamboat or small ship and provide a different travel experience than other business and leisure travel options. By their nature, river cruises allow participants to see small towns and natural beauty that are often missed when taking more conventional vacations.

To plan a U.S. river cruise, visit Seasite.com to find helpful group cruise planning tools.