10 Tips for Selecting Event Venues in Spain & Andorra

Today, we'll focus on some practical aspects of selecting venues in Spain & Andorra with which you may not be familiar. 

1. Advise your regular clients to begin their planning & searches early. If they don't they are likely to be disappointed when their preferred dates and venues are sold out.
2. Develop a short list of destinations in Spain and what your end client requires in a venue.
3. Consult with an Obvius project manager who can advise about the pro's and cons of each venue so you can adress your client in a proper way. 
4. Consult the destination guides on Obvius website to uncover in-depth information about the diferent destination posibilities in Spain.
5. Use the Obvius Local Supplier Network to conduct thorough venue searches. 
6. Create a grid to capture and compare what the various venues have to offer.
7. Be sure to capture important issues that may differ from your domestic market:
   • total travel time to the destination
   • travel time from the airport to the venue
   • length of the beach
   • on- and off-site available activities
   • liquor laws
   • concessions
   • attrition
   • payment terms  
8. If your client does not have the budget for a site inspection, enlist the services of Obvius as your local partner and that of the local tourist Board or convention bureau.
9. Be sure to determine the cost if guests want to arrive before the group block, extend their stay or upgrade to bring family members.
10. Use the foreign language support offered by Obvius and its provider's network.

Contact us for more detailed information or advise.

Obvius
T +34-963813347
E. info@obvius.eu
I  www.obvius.eu

Optimising event content by applying tailored learning styles

A "one size fits all" approach to learning is guaranteed to ensure ineffective results. Adults are predominantly visual or kinesthetic learners. On the hand keynotes, lectures and presentations still dominate content delivery formats at conferences and other events that involve learning.


It is important to use a variety of content delivery methods to improve the design of conferences, workshops, team building, and training. There are a number of models for understanding learning styles including Kolb's model, Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and Ned Herrmann's Brain Dominance Model (HBDI).

Most approaches incorporate a distinction between left-brain and right-brain approaches to learning. They incorporate this basic breakdown that clusters learners as primarily:

• Visual learners who are imaginative and require visual stimulation in order to process information
• Kinesthetic learners who respond to emotional cues and require tactile stimulation and active participation in the learning process
• Auditory learners who benefit from content delivery methods that involve listening.
• Structured learners who are organized and detail oriented in their approach to learning

The bottom line is that we all learn using visual, kinesthetic and auditory cues to assimilate information during the learning process but most learners tend to dominate in one or more preferred styles.

The HBDI Whole Brain Model breaks down the basic left brain/right brain model further into brain quadrants (upper left, lower left, upper right, lower right). The quadrants that are dominant influence thinking, communication and learning style preferences.

Picture it this way. Brain dominance and learning style preferences are similar to the preference for writing with the left or right hand. Everyone can write with either hand but most people are right- or left-hand dominant. They write more easily and legibly with their dominant hand. In the same way, we make it easier and more comfortable for people to learn when we cater to their preferred learning styles.

To incorporate learning styles into your design of meetings, conferences, team building,and  training, distribute learning style surveys to participants as part of the registration process. Learning styles surveys including DISC, LSI, Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Tests, and HBDI pinpoint preferred learning styles.

You can use the results of the learning styles survey to provide facilitators with a group profile so they can tailor their content and approach to delivery to meet the needs of the group.

Tips to help you design interesting content for executive meetings & events

Designing true meaningful content for executive meetings and events can be quite challenging. By the time most professionals reach the executive suite, they have just about seen it all. They have attended a range of conferences, executive and management development programs. As a result of this experience, it is tough for meeting planners, facilitators and keynote speakers to blow the executive crowd away.

Here are a few strategies to help insure that content is not dismissed as repetitive or too basic:

1. Find out what they already know.
   With executives, crowdsourcing this is essential. It is important to find out what content they have already covered and what approaches they find most appealing. Skip this step and you may as well fire an arrow at a target blind-folded. (Some of the strategies we discussed in our blog article about Diverse Learning Styles can be particularly helpful with executives.
   
2. Help them know themselves (and each other better).
   Most individuals will welcome an opportunity for more self-awareness and understanding. As a result, tools like style inventories and 360-degree feedback are generally well received by executives.
   
3. Set the context.
   Ensure that the most senior executive is on board and fully supportive of the meeting, team building or executive development programmed. Have him or her kick off the session with a targeted presentation, highlighting how content fits with organizational issues, challenges and realities.
   
4. Get participants excited with a simulation.
   People tend to believe what they experience directly and see with their own eyes. A short simulation can help the team perceive areas for growth and become more open to content.
   
5. Assign roles during group exercises and simulations, that give participants experiences outside their area of functional expertise.
   
6. When possible, make executive development sessions multi-functional and multi-generational.
   Executives will benefit from perspectives from outside their own industry. Bringing interns or high school students into the session for some exercises will provide an excellent opportunity for honing coaching skills and reverse-mentoring (e.g. social media projects would be ideal for this).
   
7. Keep Things Moving.
   Especially if learners are highly analytical, shake things up a bit to give attendees an opportunity to stretch, move outside their zone of comfort and become more skilled at "learning on the fly."
   
8. Build in some downtime to give the group a chance to relax and bond.
   
9. Never short circuit the debriefing or business application exercises.
   It's where the rubber meets the road and it will ensure that everyone leaves the session with some practical take-away that they can apply immediately at work.

Conference Service Excellence towards conference team and vendors

It's 08:00 AM and I'm one of just a few early arrivers at a conference. As I stroll the convention center corridors and think through what I want to accomplish that day, I notice a few team huddles going on.

Managers giving their teams a final set of instructions, helping everyone prepare for the day that lies ahead.
You have to admire their pro-active effort, but I wondered how information from the planner was ultimately being shared with the teams.

Planners provide vendors with all kinds of information about the conference, but how much of this are they actually reading? Could important details be getting lost in translation?

Then it hit me - just as we normally publish show dailies for our attendees, what if we shared an internal show daily with our vendors and our staff?

A fast-paced, one-page piece that might include:

• Top three activities going on that day
• VIPs to keep on the lookout for
• Media alerts and chatter about the conference
• Questions attendees might asking

Beyond instructions and marching orders, what about recognition? Imagine if you included a positive quote from an attendee or a quick story about extra-mile service you witnessed. There's nothing like affirmation to inspire teams to stretch and deliver their very best.
 
The more I think about it, the more I like it. Much of the content can be prepared well in advance. Then, you update this document with a few timely gems observed onsite. As we all know, it's the little things we do (and notice) that inspire true service excellence.

Corporate Event R.O.I. Measurement: 5 Elements to Consider

To demonstrate bottom line impact and the R.O.I. from corporate events, 5 of the elements to consider include:

1. Promotion
2. Sales
3. Team Engagement
4. Client Appreciation
5. Employee Appreciation

Promotional Events: From product launches,advertising initiatives that include events and trade shows, it's possible to tally the number of leads and inquiries generated. Assign a euro value to the leads and inquiries that result in business. Calculate revenue as a percentage of the cost of each promotional event (including labor).

Sales Events: Calculating revenue from specific sales events is straightforward.

Team Engagement: This is one of the most challenging areas but it's not impossible to measure R.O.I. For example, from team events, track and assign euro values to cost savings ideas and revenue from the following sources proposed by employees:

• New streams of revenue from existing products (e.g. Think Post-It notes or Glad bags)
• New product ideas
• New market niches for existing products and services

Client Appreciation Events: Additional revenue from existing clients and reduced churn can be indicators of the impact of client events.

Employee Appreciation Events: For every sales team member, increased revenue from incentive travel and other incentives can be tracked. For all employees, reduced turnover and lower absenteeism rates have associated euro values. A correlation between these figures and softer measures such as employee satisfaction can help evaluate and track impact.

Measuring a Meeting's Effectiveness

4 Levels of Evaluation

Donald L. Kirkpatrick's model, which has been around since 1959, is normally used to measure the value of training and development. It is not widely used by event planners, but with some adjustment, it can easily be applied to meetings and other corporate events.

The key to using it effectively for meetings is really clearly pinpoint objectives for each meeting both in terms of what you want to see happen during the meeting and desired impact on the business after the meeting.

Kirkpatrick's 4 levels of measurement are:

• Level 1: The reaction of attendees, measured by feedback forms and surveys. Consider adding the following to your questionnaires:
  • What core messages did you hear clearly?
  • What do you plan to do differently after the meeting (or conference)?
  • What did you find most beneficial about the meeting (or conference)?
  • What is one specific suggestion that you would offer to the meeting planners for improving future meetings?
    
• Level 2: Learning or skill acquisition (if applicable).
  
• Level 3: Changes in attendee performance or behavior after the meeting: What are attendees doing differently? Have they carried out all assigned action items?
  
• Level 4: Specific and measurable business results, in other words, impact on the business. 

By far level 4 is the most important in terms of measuring the impact of meetings and events. 

Recreation Incentives that create healthy competition amongst employees

There are many types of incentive programs available for your employees. However, nothing outperforms as well as recreation incentives that combine travel to exciting locations with exciting opportunities and recreative activities.

Whether you have a sales team that needs a little motivation or you simply want to ensure that you reward your dedicated staff for a job well done, there are many ways to do it. However, the best ideas are the ones that allow your employees to experience something unique, something that they can’t get at just any company and that is where recreation incentives are at the top of the list.

For instance, you can send your top employees on a wine country tour or send them on a Ferrari or Porsche driving experience in Spain. You can even send them on a combined city tour or a Caribbean style getaway to the Balearic Islands where they can relax, golf, swim and enjoy the local culture.

Any company can plan to reward their employees as a form of motivation but only the best and brightest companies plan incentives that will create not just healthy competition, but will make their company the top spot to seek employment. Why join another company when your company offers an Outdoor 4x4 Safari as an incentive or a tour of the best of Catalunya?

 

Travel and recreation incentives allow you to be at the top when it comes to giving your employees something extra, something that helps them want to achieve the very best. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you own; employees like to know they are appreciated and will work harder for a goal that rewards them with something as decadent as a vacation that creates memories they can cherish forever.

If you are ready to explore your options when it comes to gaining your employees’ attention, simply contact us and we can help you plan a recreation incentive that is like no other.

Travel incentive programs that will pay off!!

There are all types of employee incentive programs available and while some are successful, none are traditionally more successful than travel incentive programs.

Travel incentives allows your employees to meet their goals and be able to travel as their reward. This can include cruises to exotic locations, hotel and destination incentives, sports incentives such as Champions League matches or Formula 1 Grand Prix's in Spain, recreation incentives or you can build your own incentive plan that is a perfect fit for your team.

Imagine the increase in sales when you offer a travel incentive reward that includes a VIP trip to Madrid or Valencia. Your team will not only want to work harder to obtain their goals but they'll be proud of working for a company that takes such good care of their employees by offering them such an extravagant reward.

There are plans to fit every budget and the increase in your sales will surpass your expenses. There are other benefits in offering travel incentives as well. Your employees will feel like they are an integral part of your company and they will work harder to achieve their goals. No one will want to be left at home when the sales teams takes their trip and they'll be proud to say that they work for a business that appreciates the hard work that they do.

Let us help you get your employees motivated to their fullest potential. Just contact us  for information on how to get started, what travel incentives programs we offer and how to extend your sales team the motivation that will give your business a boost in sales.

Mercedes Benz - Eurotraining 2013 in Valencia

We were pleased to welcome the people of Mercedes Benz this week in Valencia . We were honoured that Mercedes Benz choose Valencia and the City of Arts and Scienses as its venue for their Eurotraining 2013 where they presented their new  CLA, E-class & S-class to its worldwide sales network.

Hereby some impressions of this wonderful event.

 

If you are also interested to organise your product launch, training or sales conference in Valencia or other destinations in Spain than contact us for more information. As one of the leading Event & Destination Management Companies in Spain we will turn your event into a great success and will take care of everything to the last detail.


Obvius Spain
T. +34-963813347
E. info@obvius.eu
I.  www.obvius.eu
  

Incentive Travel Agency vs. Traditional Travel Agency

There is a question that is often asked to Incentive travel Agencies. It is a question they enjoy answering because it gets in many times to the heart of their business. The question that every corporate planner and human resources manager should ask is, "Why should I book our incentive travel programs through a Incentive travel agency instead of using a traditional travel agency?"

There is a straightforward and simple answer for that question. If you are simply booking a trip, use a travel agency. They can get you there and back. However, if your goal is to thank your top performers, motivate key sales people or recognize valued team members and clients, than an experienced travel incentive company will make sure that message is clearly communicated.

Quite frankly, in today's environment mere travel for the sake of going somewhere is often more of a hassle than a reward. There are many fine travel agencies that know flights and hot spots for tourists. However, once they book a trip, the agency simply hands over tickets and the customer is on their own. Those tickets go to the employee with the hope that they have a good time.

Incentive Travel or Just Another Trip?

The simple fact is that effective employee recognition programs don't succeed on hope. When turning to a professional travel incentives company, it isn't for normal trips. Guidance in providing the very best unforgettable experience possible for employees is the key. It is helpful to remember that people are very discerning today. They have access to the same websites that travel agents visit. The goal is to get them excited, not yawning, about an incentive program. A travel agent earns commissions dealing with reservation agents. Travel incentive companies build their businesses on relationships and a shared goal to create memorable experiences.

Effective employee recognition programs and set-your-sales-team-on-fire sales incentives don't come from simply dangling a free trip carrot. Employees will recognize that a program designed to stand above the crowd is the result of management time and effort.

What an experienced incentives travel company like Obvius brings to the table is a fine-tuned sense of what executing the art of employee motivation requires. We don't just book trips, we design lifetime memories. We do that in a collaborative way that meets both strategic goals and budget constraints. Our job only starts with the booking of the trip. Coordination of every aspect of the tailor-made program before and during travel is the standard approach.

The relationships developed by companies such as Obvius provide visibility with on-site managers, not reservation clerks. They monitor every phase of the trip to make sure the program stays on track.

A Solid ROI

An investment in travel incentives demands a solid return. That means effective sales incentives must generate sales. The goal is that people return excited about the travel and talk about it when they return. That buzz can infect an entire operation when employee motivation programs are correctly designed and executed.
Successful employee recognition companies don't have travel agents on their team; they have memory-makers partners such as us that design employee motivation travel that works.

Contact Us Today To Learn More About Travel Incentives

Travel Incentives motivate your employees to obtain better results

Several studies have shown that incentives that offer travel opportunities are typically more successful because you are offering your employees more than just a tangible good or cash; it is an experience. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel. This can be due to time constraints, cash flow or simple the opportunity itself has not arisen. By choosing a travel opportunity as a sales incentive your employees have a goal that is not only obtainable but unique.

In the competitive world of sales, motivating your employees helps them achieve more but sometimes it's not enough. Offering sales incentives that involve travel is one of the most successful incentive programs available.

For example, if you have a company that has a sales team and your company offers trips to Spain as a sales incentive, not only will your sales team work harder, but everyone will want to be a part of that élite team. It gives your sales team a sense of need to sell more in order to be able to not only make their sales goals but to go above and beyond any goals set. No team member wants to be left out of the trip or to not be able to go simply because they didn't work hard enough.

There are many types of sales incentives to choose from that involves travel to Spain or Andorra. So whether it's the employee that has never traveled out of the country or one who has always wanted to visit a city like Valencia, Madrid or Barcelona, your employees will be motivated to work harder and surpass their sales goals in order to take part in an experience they'll never forget.

If you want to boost the sales in your company by using sales incentives that involve travel, simply contact us so we can help you from A to Z.

Business travel, events, meetings & incentive trips in Sant Susana, Catalunya

We hereby would like to inform you about the city of Sant Susana as an interesting destination for your next event, meeting or incentive trip in Spain. Sant Susana is located in the north of the Maresme region in a privileged location between the sea and the hills. It borders on Pineda de Mar (to the right) and Malgrat de Mar (to the left) at about 45min from Barcelona city.veryThe city is very well connected by plane, train and touring cars.

The beautiful surroundings are also excellent for a variety of  culture, outdoor or  teambuilding activies on both water and land. You can hereby think of activities such as team challenges, treasure hunts, beach games, regatta's, boat excursions, mountain bike, horse-back riding or segway excursions.

In Santa Susanna you will find everything you need to organise your meeting, event or incentive, including beautiful venues and hotels with a maximum capacity of 14,000 beds and great facilities. It is an amazing alternative if you search for a destination in Catalunya nearby Barcelona in a beautuful environment and with  excelent MICE services.

 

That make your event, meeting or incentive trip a true success you can count on us. We can design, plan and manage the complete organisation of your event.

For more information you can contact us or visit the ofiicial Sant Susana website

The future of Mediterranean Tourism

6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESTINATION MANAGEMENT

16 - 17 APRIL 2012

DJERBA, TUNISIA

The Mediterranean is one of the most important tourism regions in the world, accounting for approximately more than a third of total tourism revenues and half of international arrivals. For decades, the Mediterranean destinations have provided, along with other attractions, the traditional sun, sand and sea product, essentially for the North and Eastern European markets.  This part of the Mediterranean tourism is now experiencing a  challenge with subsequent market shifts towards other regions and alternative tourist products; the region has begun to lose its share of international travel market.
 
The Mediterranean countries need a shared vision to re-evaluate their tourism industries in the context of sustainable development strategies, begin to consider re-structuring their industries and increase efficiency and competitiveness, form strategic alliances for co-operative promotion and marketing efforts in order to maintain a competitive edge in the global tourism market.
 
 

The Objectives during the 6th International Conference on Destination Management are:

• Create a platform for Mediterranean destinations and all the relevant partners for dialogue on the current and potential challenges/opportunities facing the region’s tourism competitiveness,
• Enable participants to acquire an overview of the current tourism policies and strategies and to discover how to build synergies for co-petition.

Click here for more information.

7th World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism

The UNWTO and the Government of Andorra, in collaboration with the parish of La Massana, organize the 7th World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism (La Massana, Andorra, 11-12 April 2012).

Since the first edition, the main objective of the Congress has been to provide a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities of the snow and mountain destinations and to acquire an overview of successful business models, innovation, the impact of climate change and tourism marketing during.

During the two congress days, leading international experts will discuss new strategies that need to be adopted for mountain tourism, with a special focus on the use of ICT, the diversification of tourism activities and/or services, the development of new products for the summer season and the emerging mountain tourism destinations.

Barcelona - Biosphere World Class Destination

Barcelona is without any doubt a quality tourist destination. We also all know that the city is committed to the environment. But did you also know that it's the first city in the world to obtain the classification of "Biosphere World Class Destination"?

With the "Biosphere World Class Destination" certification and the implementation of the System of Responsible Tourism equilibrium between residents and visitors has been created that works towards guaranteeing the sustainability and continuity of the success of this destination in the future.

SITE 2013

The SITE International Foundation has announced the members of its 2013 international board of trustees.

The person who will lead the board is Jane E. Schuldt. She is the 2013 SITE International Foundation president and founder and president of World Marketing Group Ltd.

She states that “The Foundation is at a very exciting point in its life cycle, one at which great strides can be made toward delivering research product and content in demand by our various constituents,” “The body of work that currently exists is extremely valuable, and is in the process of being catalogued for the purpose of offering more tools and resources to meet the needs of today's incentive travel professionals.

She added that the Research Committee, is working on creating "a two-year plan that will deliver a robust and relevant agenda of research.” That will include the ongoing Site Index studies, as well as a major new study.

The other members of the 2013 Executive Committee are:

• Immediate Past President: Stephen Powell, senior vice president of worldwide sales, InterContinental Hotels Group
• President Elect: Kurt L. Paben, senior vice president, Business Loyalty, Aimia
• Vice President: Gus Tejeda, vice president group sales, Kerzner International Resorts, Inc. 
• Vice President Finance: David Gabri, president and CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International
• Managing Director: Allison Summers, Site and Site International Foundation

The board of trustees other members are:

• Mark S. Andrew, regional vice president and general manager, Fairmont Washington, D.C.
• Jacques Arnoux, managing director, Pacific World Limited
• Mark Bondy, partner and president, VIKTOR Incentives & Meetings, and chair of the Site International Foundation Research Committee
• Jonathan Caplan, director of sales, franchise north america, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide
• Denise O. Dornfeld, president, North America, AlliedPRA
• Martin Lewis, managing director, CAT Publications
• Larry Luteran, senior vice president – group sales and industry relations, Hilton Worldwide
• Bob Postins, CMM, head of events, Amway Europe Limited
• Rhea H. Stagner, vice president supplier relations, sourcing and proposal development, Maritz Travel
• Roger Tondeur, president, MCI Group
• Paul Miller, managing director, Spectra, and Site president elect for 2014

Retiring board memebers are:

• Ray Bloom, chairman, IMEX
• Madelyn Marusa, DMCP, vice president, industry relations, AlliedPRA
• Steve O’Malley, senior vice president, Maxvantage/Maritz, Inc.
• Penny E. Wing, president, Incentive Travel Inc. / World 5 Inc.

Winter Incentives program inspirations in Spain & Andorra

Spain is a great winter destination and has a lot to offer!!

Spain is for many companies one of their favourite destinations for incentive trips and corporate events. Especially in the months from march until november, because of its favourable climate, rich culture, delicous gastronomy and its excellent venues, hotels and infrastructure.  Nevertheless, when companies are looking for a destination for an incentive trip or event in these cold winter months then Spain for many of our clients still is an unexplored destination.

With our Destination Management and Incoming services we can organise your incentive trip or winter event to the smallest detail. We organise an incredible amount of original snow activities for you to enjoy.  Possible destinations where you can think are Granada, Sierra Nevada (Andalucia), the Spanish Pyrenees and Andorra. These destinations are all close to international airports and can also be reached by train.


More details on our snow incentive activities :

1.     Sliding games
The group is divided into teams that compete against each other, rotating between the activities according to a predetermined schedule. The team effort is the determining factor when it comes to the final victory.

We plan 3 main challenges:

• Snowraft: A race between two teams, in which the participants slide down the slope on a giant rubber ring. The one who crosses the finish line first wins.
• Snowbike: Straightforward activity in which the participants compete by completing a slalom course on a snowbike.
• Snow body board: A very entertaining activity with no technical difficulties. The participants have to complete a course in the shortest time possible.
  

Included:

• Organization, coordination and supervision of the activities.
• Preparation of the area with snow machines
• Rental of snow rafts
• Rental of snowbikes
• Rental of snow body boards
• Lift to the activity area
• The personnel needed to carry out the activities: 1 coordinator, 3 activity instructors
• Insurances

Approximate duration : 3-4 hours
Optional : mulled wine or hot chocolate during the activities

2.     Golfing in the snow
The whole group enjoys practice and a game of golf in the snow.

Included:

• Organization, coordination and supervision of the activities.
• Preparation of the golf course with snowmachine
• Rental of golf material
• The personnel needed to carry out the activities: 1 coordinator, 2 golf instructors, 1 ball boy/girl,
• Insurances
• Ski lift passes

Approximate duration : 3-4 hours
Optional : Hot chocolate in the activity area, gadgets, trophies

3.     White Games in the Snow
The participants are divided into teams. The objective of the activity is pure entertainment. The teams compete against each other in 3 different activities to obtain the material for creating an allegoric emblem of the event or an illustration of the corporate image of the company for which they work. There is also the alternative of constructing snow sculptures. There will always be one member of each team working on the snow sculpture. The remaining four team members compete against the other teams in the various activities. The team that wins each activity obtains material to use for building the sculpture. Each time that the team obtains new material, they take it to the “construction site” and decide which 4 members to take part in the subsequent activity and which members to work on the design in the snow. Each team will rotate amongst the activities according to a predetermined schedule. After the teams have completed all exercises and finished the construction work in the snow, a judge will assess the creations and elect the winning piece of art.

Description of the activities to obtain material:

• Giant skis: The teams complete a technical circuit “onboard” a pair of giant skis. The challenge is to maintain their balance... The time it takes them to complete the circuit also counts.
• Snow bob: entertaining activity using sledges that are easily steered. The teams compete by completing a beautiful circuit as fast as possible.
• Snowshoes: After learning how to put on the snowshoes, the participants complete an easy, guided circuit, at the end of which they have to pass a little test.

Other examples of team activites we can organize for you this winter are:

• Walking treasure hunt in the snow, with roadbook, etc
• Snow challenge half-day (snow raft, snow bike, snow body, mini bobs, etc) 
• White Biatlon (rackets and shooting)
• Snow golf tournament
• Mini Bob Cross
• Half-day snow games (team building)
• Self-drive treasure hunts
• Etc

Our snow games incentive and teambuilding activities are ideal for groups of 20 to 150 persons looking for original winter fun in Spain or Andorra.

We are looking for forward to organise your next winter event or incentive trip in Spain!
 
Call us (+34-963813347) or send us an email for more information or a tailormade quotation.

Kind regards,

Obvius Team



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Overview of Incentive Travel Trends 2013

Research illustrates how the economy also in 2013 continues to have a negative effect on every aspect of the incentives trips industry.

The top conclusion from this year’s survey executed by the Incentive Research Foundation shows hardly any changes in comparison to the results from last year. This partly the result of to the negative economic picture that has been painted in last months of 2012. The overall message from incentive travel planners seems to be: “Keep it solid.”In fact, the vast majority of incentive and event planners are showing strong consistency in many aspects of their programs:

Programs in 2013:
Most of the program developers (about 80 percent) maintained their programs heading in to 2012, and 90 percent will be maintaining them going in to 2013. Just over half of the respondents will be maintaining the same budgets in 2013, with another 25 percent raising them slightly.

Challenges in 2013:
It seems the new economy presents a stable set of challenges for planners. Staying within budget, finding the right destination, and negotiating with suppliers continue to be the top challenges, similar to last year’s findings.

Budgets in 2013:
Per-person budgets continue to average around €1.900,00 per person with the standard program attendance radiating around 150 people. Looking way back to 2006 the average spending amount was around €3,800 per person, and that year 56 percent reported increases in their incentive budgets. This year only 35 percent saw an increase in budgets.

Difficulties & trends in 2013

Of course, not as many programs are being canceled as during the economic crash, but more than one in 10 companies still canceled their incentive trips. The main cause of the difficiculties and cancelations is without surprise to 68 percent of the respondent the current economy.

Companies are getting more and more creative about working within these parameters, finding ways to make their incentive programs special year after year. Interestingly, the top strategy of companies to deal with smaller budgets is to have less management attendance during the incentive. This is maybe also because senior management is also increasingly left with hardly any budget due to budget cuts. Companies also continue to reduce the number of on-site gifts. They also tend to travel more and more to second-tier cities, avoid five-star hotels or venues , and cut sponsored cultural, leisure activities.

Social Responsibility & Wellness:
Corporate social responsibility and wellness continue to generate a many discussions in the industry, and a consistent third of planners reported using each of these in their programs in 2013.

Social Media:
Social media seems to be one of the few aspects where change is noticed within the incentives & events industry. Almost 40 percent of incentive and event planners are reporting to use social media to promote their programs. 60 percent of these planners are using Facebook and more than half are using Twitter to get the word out about their programs.

There is also good news…

Is it true there is also some good news? Yes, there is!!! A full 59 percent of the research respondents expect their companies’ sales to increase in 2013 which is a healthy increase compared to 2012. And 35 percent expect that based on their sales increase that their incentive budgets will also grow.... 


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