Executive Group Travel Blog (10)

New England Company Retreat Options

New England Resorts :

For companies that are looking to hold corporate events, events in off season months at New England resorts are a tremendous opportunity for a top flight corporate event at a bargain rate. Events booked in either the fall or spring benefit from the drop in occupancy in the form of reduced block room rates, the full attention of a recreation department to plan activities and still pleasantly warm temperatures of the late spring or early fall season. For those looking for a little more than a company picnic at Thompson Island, here are four impressive options within two hours of the Boston area.

[fa icon="clock-o"] Sep 20, 2016 9:30:00 AM [fa icon="user"] Patrick Longo [fa icon="folder-open'] Travel Recommendations, MICE Travel

The Island:

Providenciales is a beautiful island in Turks and Caicos that is just a quick (2-3 hour) flight from the East Coast.

What makes Providenciales so impressive is the small boutique hotels which minimizes the crowds on the beach. Unfortunately this boutique feel makes this island a tough fit for incentive travel. There is only one 4 Star + hotel that has over 200 rooms and that is an all-inclusive family packed Beaches resort. The average hotel size is around 60 rooms and most are owned condos placed in a rental pool. For small incentive trips under 40 rooms this island is great option with white sand beaches, 18 hole golf course, boating options, serene spas, kayaking trips, windsurfing lessons and endless amounts of culinary options.

Highlights Include:

World-Class Wall Scuba-Diving
Grace Bay Beach - White Sand and Crystal Clear Waters
Winter Whale Watching
Off-shore Snorkeling

[fa icon="clock-o"] Aug 11, 2016 3:00:00 PM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Travel Recommendations, Incentive Travel

Recent Changes:

The One & Only Club Resort in the Bahamas completed renovations in 2015 and the property continues to Wow guests.

Already an impressive 5 star resort, the recent changes only increased the value for both independent travelers and incentive travel. If you have the budget for this property, this is a no-brainer with world-class golf, inspiring culinary cuisine, unique Versailles gardens and pool, intimate and private accommodations and award-winning spa. The upgrades to the Hartford Wing and addition of the infinity pool and Ocean Grill increases the allure for the millennial traveler.

Three main upgrades to the property:

New Ocean Infinity Pool
Hartford Wing Upgrades
Ocean Grill Opening

[fa icon="clock-o"] Jul 13, 2016 11:00:00 AM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Travel Recommendations, Incentive Travel

Hotel Selection Process:

As a travel consultant one of the hardest parts of our job is hotel selection. There are many options out there but there are so many factors that go into that process from budget, location, weather, airlift, availability, room categories, meal plans, meeting space, concessions and more.

For a small 100 person event you can find yourself contacting over 20 properties to find the perfect fit. For a 300+ person event during busy season you can increase that number to almost 50 properties. That is a lot of emails and communication between each property.

[fa icon="clock-o"] Jun 30, 2016 10:00:00 AM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Incentive Travel

Incentive Travel:

Costa Rica is truly an amazing place. Is it the perfect destination for incentive travel? This all depends what your company is expecting from an incentive trip. Costa Rica should not be viewed as a beach destination but instead a vacation for those looking for either adventure and activity. The pools are great, wildlife abundant, views memorable, food tasty, and the culture inspiring.

[fa icon="clock-o"] Jun 10, 2016 9:40:00 AM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Travel Recommendations, Incentive Travel

A Rating:

"Checks all the boxes," "Constantly investing in improvements," "No is not in their vocabulary," "Surfset class was an amazing start to a day full of meetings"

Overall I would give this resort an A rating which is rare given my high expectations. From the minute you enter the lobby you are impressed by the staff welcoming, cleanliness, and overall Texas charm. Each day the resort provides a tasty complimentary drink by the check-in counter, throughout the spa and in the sports club (Arnold Palmer, peach iced tea, etc). The lobby has a great seating area with views of the pool and golf course which also doubles as a great spot to enjoy lunch, snacks throughout the day or drinks in the evening. Many guests enjoyed the comfort of the lobby lounge and were found escaping their rooms and working from this area.

[fa icon="clock-o"] May 26, 2016 4:15:00 PM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Travel Recommendations, MICE Travel

Limited Daily Options:

Many companies who are new to incentive travel insist on direct flights for their President's Club trip. For NYC, Dallas, Miami, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Chicago based companies a daily direct flight is easy to come by for most of the Caribbean. But for the rest of the US, including major cities such as Boston and San Francisco reality is that most airlines only fly to the Caribbean on weekends, at best. And this only applies during the busy season.

[fa icon="clock-o"] May 18, 2016 1:34:00 PM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Incentive Travel

Hotel Competition:

Executive Group Travel's Review of Four Aruba Hotels. Stay tuned for upcoming reviews on Aruba group restaurant options and DMC's

[fa icon="clock-o"] May 9, 2016 1:37:00 PM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Travel Recommendations, Incentive Travel

Mitigate Surprises:

One of the most important aspects of the planning of incentive trips and sales kickoff events is budgeting. The key to all budgeting is mitigating surprises. We found that utilizing Google Sheets and sharing a detailed budget spreadsheet with your clients is one way to make sure there are no surprises when the final checks are written.

[fa icon="clock-o"] Apr 28, 2016 10:56:00 AM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Incentive Travel

Qualifications:

We highly recommend setting expectations and qualifying rules in month one or two of the year at the annual sales kickoff meeting for the following year's trip (current year's President's Club). During this meeting you can announce the dates in a save the date format but you do not need to release the location. Start building up anticipation and excitement within the sales team or entire company. It is important that your employees know how they can qualify and can get a jumpstart in the beginning of the year. This sets a standard and level playing field so all employees know what to expect.

[fa icon="clock-o"] Apr 20, 2016 10:06:00 AM [fa icon="user"] Marci McCormack [fa icon="folder-open'] Incentive Travel

Executive Group Travel Blog

New England Company Retreat Options

Turks and Caicos Incentive Travel

One & Only Club Resort, Nassau, Bahamas Updates

Perks of Working with a Large Chain

Group Travel in Costa Rica

Four Seasons Dallas at Las Colinas

Direct Flight Dilemma

Aruba Group Travel Hotel Reviews

Budgeting - Benefits of Google Sheets

When should you announce your next incentive trip?

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