Through their conversation, panelists Jason Yeh (GIS Group), Adam Milczarek (Taiwanlook), and Cate Banfield (Wynford) uncovered a range of ideas and insights on how incentive travel can be just as informative as it is fun and relaxing.
Understanding the role of education
Jason started by pointing out that the very nature of incentive travel, which typically brings together a company’s top performers, means there’s always a place for education. These are individuals who are curious and eager to learn and grow.
Nowadays, said Jason, those “wow” moments qualifiers expect often come hand-in-hand with opportunities to learn. It’s important for organizers to be aware of and create something inspirational as part of that journey.
Educational elements are also critical, both Cate and Adam added, as ways for people to experience the local culture.
Education as an opportunity for storytelling
It goes beyond just experiencing the local culture though, as Cate then elaborated. Participants can build deeper understanding and engagement through educational opportunities that provide avenues for powerful storytelling.
Cate shared the example of a recent site visit she attended in the Bahamas, where she and the client spent time visiting the Educulture Junkanoo Museum.
The owner took them through the museum while sharing stories from her childhood and explaining what different artifacts and symbols meant to her or how they connected to her own experiences. It was a perfect way to make storytelling an informal source of education, Cate said, that also provided an opportunity for a local SME and expert to shine.
It’s these stories too, an attendee noted in the comments, that make for incredible memories well-worth sharing.
Learning together, as partners
When questions were raised about how to design thoughtful educational components for an incentive, Jason stressed the importance of trusting your local DMC partner while also staying true to what you know about the client and keeping their interests top of mind.
Adam agreed, explaining how the right collaborations add depth to what travelers are seeing and doing. It’s one thing to see and experience beautiful things, Adam said, and to create those opportunities for clients. But it’s important to make sure you rely on local contacts and expertise to ensure people fully understand what they’re experiencing.
Adam also reminded those who tuned in that it can be helpful to remind clients that one of the things incentive travel does best is open or change mindsets for positive future growth, and break the mold of how things have previously been done.
This is a great source, he said, of new inspiration and new ideas reward earners can then bring back to their companies to help push teams and organizations forward.
Designing for optimal educational moments
The webinar wrapped up with a quick focus on where and how to best fit educational elements into a program’s overall structure. Cate reminded us there’s no “magic bullet formula,” but reiterated a trend that has been surfacing post-pandemic of the need for more unscheduled blocks of time during a program.
There definitely can be too much of a good thing, Cate said. It can be just as (if not more) powerful to build in time specifically to reflect on and embrace the moment. Cate observed that’s when qualifiers often start sharing what favorite things they’ve done, which can add even more weight to an experience by sharing those new memories with others. It also gives organizers invaluable feedback to carry into future programs.
Adam agreed, saying that listening in to conversations is one of the best ways to get feedback about what experiences — including educational moments — are resonating with audiences.
Look for that “quiet wow,” Adam said, to glean what might be gems shared around the water cooler once participants are back in the office, or to get insights on your own team or your own destination if you’re on the supplier side.
This could even be a new metric to determine ROI, Adam concluded — should we start measuring the return of our trips in “minds blown” or moments that left people in awe?
Watch the full replay of the April 14, 2023, session below and save the date for SITE’s next webinar, taking place May 12.
