Incentive Travel Tricks

At EVT, our purpose is to help businesses grow by motivating exceptional people with exceptional rewards and experiences. 

Today, I wanted to share a quick story—well, more of a peek behind the curtain—about one of the most powerful tools we use to do that: Incentive Travel. 

Incentive trips are the top-tier reward right now, and there’s no sign of them slowing down. They motivate, they build loyalty, and they create lasting memories. 

We absolutely love designing these trips—so I thought I’d share a bit of insight and a few Incentive Travel Tricks to help you get the most out of your reward budget. 

So, what exactly is an Incentive Trip? 

When we talk about Incentive Travel, we’re referring to a group of top achievers being taken on a curated, unforgettable experience—anywhere in the world. It’s not a conference. It’s not a work trip. It’s leisure, once in a lifetime experiences and connection. A mix of exclusive activities, tailored events, and moments that say: You earned this. 

If you want to reward and motivate a group to stretch, grow, and push performance—this is the kind of reward that works. In fact, well-designed incentive travel programs can boost productivity by 18% and deliver an ROI of over 100%. 

So, how do you make the most of your Incentive Trip? 
Here are a few tricks we’ve learned along the way: 

🧩 Structure it the right way 
Make sure the reward is clearly linked to the right behaviours and goals. Define who qualifies and how, and keep the criteria simple and motivating. A strong structure builds trust and drives performance. 

📍 Pick the right destination 
It’s not about the most expensive place—it’s about choosing a destination that creates excitement, aligns with your brand and fits your budget. Often, places just outside of the mainstream deliver just as much “wow” for less. 

🌍 Make the most of the destination 
Use the destination to your advantage—lean into local experiences, culture, and landscapes. From a private vineyard tour in New Zealand to a sunset sail in Santorini, the place can do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to magic moments. 

💰 Budget everything—properly 
Your travel budget isn’t just flights and hotels. Factor in experiences, gifts, transfers, contingency costs, currency fluctuations and staff. A clear and detailed budget upfront means fewer surprises down the line. 

✨ It’s the small touches 
Personalised welcome notes. Thoughtful room drops. Unexpected moments of joy. These are the things people talk about long after the trip is over—and they don’t need to break the bank. 

📸 Create moments that last forever 
The best trips aren’t just enjoyable—they’re unforgettable. Build in moments that people will relive, talk about and even post about. Whether it’s a ‘wow’ dinner setting, a surprise performance, or a heartfelt group toast—these shared memories are where the magic (and the motivation) lives. 

Whether you’ve run incentive trips before or you’re just starting to explore the idea, we’re always happy to chat. No pressure, just a conversation. 

Feel free to hit reply if you want to bounce around ideas or see examples of how others are using Incentive travel to move the needle.