Incentive travel is powerful! After all, who wouldn’t want to optimise their productivity and continue working at their best to earn an unforgettable trip somewhere incredible like Rwanda, Paris, or Prague?

Instead of traditional rewards, such as cash bonuses or material gifts, incentive travel provides employees with an experiential prize, boosting loyalty and ensuring the recipient feels appreciated. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity to build and strengthen relationships among the valued members of your team.

The psychological benefits of using travel as a motivational tool are significant and include an increase in confidence, improved engagement, and goal orientation.

Below, we highlight how to create meaningful experiences with incentive travel, why travel is viewed as such a desirable reward, and how it fosters connection.

Creating meaningful experiences with incentive travel

Incentive travel instils a sense of accomplishment for employees, which goes a long way towards inspiring high achievers to keep up the good work!

Research also shows that the prospect of earning a travel reward can drive individuals to set higher goals for themselves. Incentive travel programmes often require participants to meet specific performance targets, developing a goal-oriented mindset. This focus on objectives encourages employees to channel their energy and talents towards achieving desired outcomes, improving productivity and performance.

According to statistics, 72% of workers believe work-life balance is a very important factor when choosing a job. Still, only 60% believe they actually have a good balance between their professional and personal lives. Incentive travel plays a huge role in helping employees strike – and nurture – that often elusive balance.

A travel reward allows hard-working employees to unwind and recharge through meaningful experiences that restore (and reinspire) the mind, body, and soul. After all, taking a break from daily routines and experiencing new cultures, activities, and surroundings can significantly reduce stress and burnout. Remember – organisations build a healthier and more productive workforce by prioritising employee well-being.

Our incentive trip to Rwanda on a gorilla trekking adventure is the perfect example of how exhilarating incentive travel can be. This is undoubtedly one of the most life-changing experiences you can have in Africa!

Ultimately, it’s easy to create meaningful experiences through incentive travel. Each destination has its own unique selling points, and if you know your individual team members and your team’s dynamics, you’ll have a decent idea regarding what experiences will resonate most. It’s worthwhile working with a travel expert to choose the right destination and to mould an itinerary that packs a sizable (personalised) punch.

Rewards and recognition through incentive travel

Rewards and recognition reinforce positive behaviours. A Hubspot study revealed that 69% of employees agreed they’d work harder and be more committed to their jobs if they felt their company showed more appreciation for their efforts. Furthermore, the IMA (Incentive Marketing Association) has stated that 65% of employees prefer non-cash incentives such as major sports events.

Are you ready to plan an incentive trip for your employees? As you can clearly see, the benefits and options are endless! Allow Team GILTEDGE to craft a custom itinerary for you based on your employees’ interests and your budget. Contact us for more information today.