By Jorge J. J. Martínez
Motivation to take incentive trips in 2022 is high according to Stephanie
Harris, president of Incentive Research Foundation (IRF). She shares with us
the results of a recent survey indicating that 84 percent of reward program
participants considered incentive travel to be “very” or “extremely” motivating.
Stephanie indicated that it is nonetheless important for businesses
to be flexible and supportive of employees who still don’t feel comfortable
taking trips as well as those who want to do so.
“The good news is that many incentive winners are very eager to
travel, and the majority of organizations with programs moving forward are
seeing strong registration numbers,” said the president of the IRF.
Although we do not have industry-wide numbers on program
cancellations and rescheduling, we do know that concerns over COVID-19 variants
caused one out of three planners to postpone, change venue or cancel in 2021,
according to data from the Northstar Meetings Group survey.
The survey shows that the reality has been very different
according to the part of the world and the business in question.
“Looking ahead, we are hearing that 2022 is shaping up to be a
very strong year, one that will get the industry close to 2019 numbers. Organizations
are eager to get their programs back on track,” commented Stephanie Harris.
Pre-event virtual briefings will be essential to help attendees feel
safe and comfortable and to have realistic expectations; destinations and
hotels must provide open and honest communication with clients.
Private vacation properties are experiencing a surge of interest
for these trips, especially those at the beach or in the mountains, and more
than anything, those offering open-air adventures. It’s interesting to note
that participants are asking to travel with their partner or another companion.
“For 2022 we expect to have a strong performance from destinations
where participants can enjoy open, outdoor spaces. Personalization will be
infused into programs—whether providing choice through itinerary or gifting
experiences, or by giving participants additional free time during their trips,”
added Harris.

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