Roadtrips Offers Individual Incentive Travel Awards

March 26, 2009 (PRLEAP.COM) Travel News
Recent research by Corporate Meetings and Incentive magazine among Fortune 1000 companies showed that more than 56% of companies surveyed had canceled some or all of their 2009 group incentive programs. In the aftermath of the public outcry at AIG for receiving government bailout assistance yet holding an incentive trip at a luxury resort, corporate meeting and incentive planners have been running for cover. No business wants to be perceived as extravagant or wasteful during difficult economic times. Even companies that are doing well are being cautious. The result has been cancellations and modifications of group incentive programs for 2009 and 2010. As a result, Roadtrips, Inc. is now offering individual Incentive Travel Replacing costlier Group Programs.

As incentives are an important part of driving business, cutting back on successful sales and marketing initiatives doesn't make sense, especially in tough times. In response, some companies are turning away from expensive group programs in favor of individual incentive travel awards. Typically, individual travel awards are trips for two that program earners can take on their own time with the guest of their choosing, to a destination they want to experience. Individual incentive travel awards are usually bought at a set price and come without the significant overhead, production and conspicuous consumption associated with group travel programs.

"While we've definitely been experiencing cancellations and lower interest on the group end of our business, the opposite is true when it comes to interest in our individual travel award products," says Dave Guenther, President of Roadtrips' Exclusive Travel Awards, a Canadian company that operates both group and individual incentive travel. "Individual travel awards are the perfect solution for many incentive planners. Rewarding specific business activities and sending people out two by two on their own time isn't seen as excessive or conspicuous and planners can match the award exactly to the level of achievement. ROI becomes transparent and easy to report to management and, if necessary, shareholders. It becomes very easy to show that the incentive made sense and that the costs associated with it were directly related to the desired performance generated."

Popular destinations for individual travel incentive awards can include beach destinations, golf and spa resorts, Broadway or Vegas show experiences and major sporting events such as the Masters and the Olympics but they also can include unique life experiences that are not always possible in large groups. Roadtrips (www.roadtripsinc.com) line-up of lifestyle travel awards also includes culinary adventures at top rated restaurants, Porsche and Ferrari driving experiences, personal shoppers in San Francisco and New York and environmentally-friendly eco adventures. All of Roadtrips' individual travel awards come with a personal travel and concierge planning service to handle and customize details, saving companies time and money.

In situations where finding a motivator for key people to improve performance is difficult, the participants' love of individual travel may be even more important than the benefits of cost savings, improved public perceptions and provable ROI. "People love having control over their own travel," says Guenther. "We truly live in a 'Have it Your Way' culture. Being able to have input into where you travel, when you go and who you go with can substantially enhance a person's enjoyment of their reward. For some, it's important not to have to travel to a prescribed location or to have to do it with everyone from the company."

For more information about Roadtrips' Exclusive Travel Awards, please visit www.roadtripsinc.com


Roadtrips, Inc. is celebrating 17 years of providing amazing travel experiences to the most exciting sporting events in the world for fans, incentive programs, and corporate hospitality. A recognized leader in the incentive travel industry, they take pride in delivering amazing travel experiences around the world including 2010 Winter Olympics packages and 2010 World Cup tickets for thousands of guests every year.