Byrd Bergeron

Why hire an Incentive Travel Company instead of a Travel Company? Short answer: Travel agencies excel with individual vacationers and groups of less than 10. Hiring an incentive travel company, like iCentiviz allows you to accommodate incentive groups rewarding 10 or more. What’s the Difference? Travel agencies focus on individual leisure and transient business travelers. One reservation at a time is their mode. They have a transactional focus — reserving airline, hotel, rental car, train, vacation packages, and even vacation home rentals – as fast as they can to move to the next transaction. An incentive travel company’s functional capabilities are similar, but their mission is quite different. For every incentive trip (or president club trip, platinum club, meeting or event), a meeting planner creates an “incentive quality” group travel program for a corporate incentive group. These are top performers; we challenge ourselves to create a VIP travel experience that a leisure traveler could not create for themselves. An incentive travel group of 50 participants is much different than booking 50 individual travel transactions. An incentive travel company: 1. Possesses a global knowledge of destinations suitable for incentive travel programs. 2. Maintains global partnerships with DMCs (destination management companies) for local assistance, advice, and services. 3. Assists corporate clients (not individual travelers) with site selection and hotel contract negotiations to secure the best value for groups of 10 or more. (Did you know hotels define groups as 10 or more) 4. Accompanies clients on a site inspection visit of the location well in advance of the incentive trip to determine the feasibility of the site selected and to approve of all program inclusions. 5. Designs the entire incentive trip (air, hotel, ground transportation arrangements; tours and excursions; group activities; private events at unique venues; entertainment; room gifts; etc.) from 6. Graphically designs a creative theme to promote the incentive travel program. 7. Creates and implements a promotional marketing campaign for the qualification period (to drive ROI by increasing sales). 8. Develops a custom event website with club trip details. 9. Offers online registration for trip attendees. 10. Has extra expertise in: • Meeting planning • Hotel, airline and vendor negotiations for groups • Securing headline entertainment • Planning, negotiating, and generating cost savings for food and beverage functions • Arranging for any audio-visual needs • Planning team-building events • Recommending and hiring guest speakers • Contingency planning Incentive travel isn’t easy, especially with the logistics required. If you need help planning events, get in touch with 🧭 iCentiviz

8

Why hire an Incentive Travel Company instead of a Travel Company? Short answer: Travel agencies excel with individual vacationers and groups of less than 10. Hiring an incentive travel company, like iCentiviz allows you to accommodate incentive groups rewarding 10 or more. What’s the Difference? Travel agencies focus on individual leisure and transient business travelers. One reservation at a time is their mode. They have a transactional focus — reserving airline, hotel, rental car, train, vacation packages, and even vacation home rentals – as fast as they can to move to the next transaction. An incentive travel company’s functional capabilities are similar, but their mission is quite different. For every incentive trip (or president club trip, platinum club, meeting or event), a meeting planner creates an “incentive quality” group travel program for a corporate incentive group. These are top performers; we challenge ourselves to create a VIP travel experience that a leisure traveler could not create for themselves. An incentive travel group of 50 participants is much different than booking 50 individual travel transactions. An incentive travel company: 1. Possesses a global knowledge of destinations suitable for incentive travel programs. 2. Maintains global partnerships with DMCs (destination management companies) for local assistance, advice, and services. 3. Assists corporate clients (not individual travelers) with site selection and hotel contract negotiations to secure the best value for groups of 10 or more. (Did you know hotels define groups as 10 or more) 4. Accompanies clients on a site inspection visit of the location well in advance of the incentive trip to determine the feasibility of the site selected and to approve of all program inclusions. 5. Designs the entire incentive trip (air, hotel, ground transportation arrangements; tours and excursions; group activities; private events at unique venues; entertainment; room gifts; etc.) from 6. Graphically designs a creative theme to promote the incentive travel program. 7. Creates and implements a promotional marketing campaign for the qualification period (to drive ROI by increasing sales). 8. Develops a custom event website with club trip details. 9. Offers online registration for trip attendees. 10. Has extra expertise in: • Meeting planning • Hotel, airline and vendor negotiations for groups • Securing headline entertainment • Planning, negotiating, and generating cost savings for food and beverage functions • Arranging for any audio-visual needs • Planning team-building events • Recommending and hiring guest speakers • Contingency planning Incentive travel isn’t easy, especially with the logistics required. If you need help planning events, get in touch with 🧭 iCentiviz

4

Hire slow, fire fast. In our latest episode of The Hospitality Edge podcast, Chad Wise, Founder of HostWise.co, shares his approach to diagnosing personnel issues in a fast-paced hospitality environment and the strategies he uses to ensure he has the right team in place. Here’s Chad’s guide to managing talent effectively: SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: Be upfront during interviews about the demands of the role. Chad believes in "scaring off" potential hires by highlighting the realities of hospitality work to ensure only dedicated candidates proceed. HIRE SLOW, FIRE FAST: Avoid desperation hires even when you're shorthanded. Finding the right fit upfront prevents long-term issues. If a hire isn’t working out, it's better to part ways promptly rather than keeping the wrong person out of necessity. PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED: Prepare for growth and staffing shortages by maintaining a pool of part-time or 1099 workers. Having potential employees in the wings ensures you can respond to opportunity and crisis without rushing hiring decisions. PRIORITIZE TEAM FLEXIBILITY: Foster a team environment where adaptability is valued. Emphasizing the need to pivot quickly in crisis situations, like a missed cleaning, helps manage the unpredictability inherent in hospitality. These strategies can help create a dynamic and resilient team capable of handling the challenges of property management. Click the link to watch the full episode now! 🎥 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gBfADg6S 🎧 Spotify: http://alturl.com/php7d 🍏 Apple Podcasts: http://alturl.com/j5i9y 🔗 Other platforms: bit.ly/47j0fgg #TalentManagement #HospitalityIndustry #EffectiveHiring #TeamBuilding #Podcast

3

Check out this comprehensive travel checklist for international travel:

2

1 Comment

We recently pinpointed Charlotte ranking 16th in the U.S. for business travel destinations from July to September. Out of the top 20 cities, Charlotte has seen the most significant year-over-year growth (growth out of all the cities ranked in the top 20) in corporate travelers, with an 18% increase. “Given its favorable location in the Southeast and being home to a major international airport, Charlotte has seen an influx in corporate travelers from all over the country, further strengthening its appeal as a business travel destination,” says Billy McDonough, President, FCM Americas. Other factors leading to this ranking include significant airport renovation (Destination CLT) and the influx of young business professionals driven by a healthy job market. In terms of year-to-year increases in business travel, Charlotte has surpassed other major U.S. cities such as Atlanta and Dallas. Read the full article here: https://okt.to/nIOGjo

1

Walking into the holiday week Why should you use a travel advisor? We can take the guesswork out of researching and evaluating the many options available to travelers, saving you time and the hassles that often come with vacation planning. With years of experience and knowledge about destinations, transportation options and vendors, we can eliminate hours of online research time. We also make it a more personal experience so what are you waiting for? Let's book your travels for the next long weekend ahead!

752

15 Comments

Everyone loves a good story. But not everyone knows that text alone won't cut it anymore. The rise of video content on LinkedIn has changed the game. Here’s how you can harness its power: Keep It Short, But Impactful: Videos under 1 minute tend to get the most engagement. Make every second count by diving straight into the core message. Imagine this: A tech startup CEO shares a 45-second video explaining their new app’s unique value proposition. The video is snappy, visually engaging, and ends with a call to action—leading to thousands of views and new connections. Utilize LinkedIn Live: Live video generates 24x more comments and 7x more reactions than native videos. It’s perfect for Q&A sessions, product launches, or even industry insights. Picture a marketing firm hosting a LinkedIn Live session discussing the latest trends in digital advertising. The real-time interaction not only boosts their visibility but also positions them as industry leaders. Don’t Forget the Captions: 80% of LinkedIn videos are watched with the sound off. Ensure your message is understood by including captions or text overlays. For instance, a business coach posts a motivational video with captions summarizing key points, ensuring her content is accessible and engaging even without sound. Now is the time to embrace video if you want to elevate your LinkedIn presence. Step into the future of engagement, where video is king. P.S. Do you prefer consuming content via video or text on LinkedIn? #VideoMarketing #LinkedInStrategy #ContentCreation

2

1 Comment

120 Second Response Time - Every time & Anytime! There's something about the travel industry + corporate management that our clients appreciate the lightening speed response time. We staffed and implemented a process to reply with two minutes to every request. They aren't "processed" so quick, they are assigned and being worked on. This is 24 hours a day , 365 days a year. While many customers don't always run after "service", once they experience it, they can't go back. We call it the Platinum Travel Experience! How fast does your service provider get back to you? (996 incoming requests in the last 7 days replied to within 120 seconds). 

10

4 Comments

Is Experiential Travel the next Big Trend? The nature of travel is changing with a stronger focus on immersive experiences. What does this mean for travelers?

5

Please check out Legacy Vacation Resorts, a Certified B Corp's annual benefit report. Why does a private #travel company share this type of information publicly? Because we are a Certified #BCorp, a #benefitcorporation and we believe that trust comes through transparency. This isn't about marketing our newest resort, or shouting about our achievements, but rather about showing who we really are and why we exist. For us, it is about making an intentional positive impact for you, our customers, our co-workers, our community, & our natural environment.  We do this best by raising awareness of the consequences caused by our company, and more importantly by the travel industry, at large, and by the steps being undertaken to mitigate the harms while creating positive impacts. While most of us think of fun when it comes to our vacations, our communities experience them more seriously due to their profound social, environmental, and economic impacts. Travel in its current form can lead to environmental destruction, biodiversity loss, climate change, increased pollution and waste, strains on local resources like water and energy, cultural and heritage degradation and commodification, social displacement, economic leakage, and rising inequality, among other externalities.   Yet, travel experiences can also foster deep connections with new cultures, and uplift all stakeholders in ways that are inclusive, equitable, and regenerative. We believe in the transformative power of #tourism to drive positive change, and we know that together, with our competitors, collaborators and customers, we can create a future where travel enriches travelers and the world they explore. #travelandtourism #hotels #vacation #Florida #Colorado #Nevada #NewJersey #beaches #mountains #themeparks #snowskiing #gaming #disney B Lab B Lab U.S. & Canada B Tourism Florida For Good

29

4 Comments