21 November 2008  18:53

There is nothing wrong with the tried and tested, as the number of incentive trips to Dubai proves. But there is an added buzz of anticipation and excitement when high-performing groups are told they are going to the mouth of the Andes, the centre of Chile or, closer to home, Estonia, Latvia or even Poland.

There are, however, big challenges to overcome when visiting a new territory, which necessitates experience and expert advice. "Companies should not try to organise incentives to these places themselves," advises Conferences and Event Management Director for Expotel, Sherie Starkey. "Logistics can be demanding and it is not always obvious which areas are a no go - common sense only does part of the job," she adds." Accommodation also requires consideration. Cities such as Prague and Warsaw offer a good choice of familiar hotel names, but this is not the case in many South American cities. That's not to say there are no good hotels there - quite the opposite, in fact - but being confident of what to choose requires the knowledge and expertise on which we have built our reputation at Expotel."

Emerging incentive destinations

Emerging incentive destinations are not necessarily the same as the hot economies, so although the BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are enjoying a lot of attention right now, they are in fact well established for incentives.

"We have been working with DMCs in Rio for 20 years. St Petersburg is popular, as are Beijing and Shanghai," says Nigel Cooper, who is on the board of industry body Eventia.

"Incentives tend to follow the corporate market, because when businesses start to visit a city its infrastructure develops; the hotel infrastructure in particular, and this supports incentives and the growth of sophisticated restaurants, in response to the business executives' requirements."

The fall of the Berlin Wall led to the rise of Eastern Europe as an incentive hot spot. "Prague was the first new destination the industry had seen for years,"said Cooper. Now we're seeing it with Moscow, the Baltic States and Poland."

Many Eastern European cities are well established as conference destinations and the availability of a university education and tourism and events Qualifications have created entrepreneurs.

"These countries now provide good quality programmes," says Cooper.

"DMCs have moved; they are reputable companies with English speaking staff."

Hasta la vista!

South America is a different story, however. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world after Mandarin and it helps if someone involved in organising incentives there speaks it. Cities such as Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro (in Portuguese-speaking Brazil) have business infrastructure, five-star chain hotels and some independent properties." General managers and senior management staff also have a lot of influence, knowledge and contacts," says Cooper.

But outside the major cities, though, the likelihood of encountering problems increases and so professional expertise is again crucial. "It is not just a matter of considering security issues, but what to do if someone falls ill or hurts themselves during the trip," says Starkey.

Many incentive delegates are impressively well travelled and have been there, done that, got the t-shirt the world-over. However, there is a strong chance they will not yet have been to South America - so the motivational factor attached to taking groups into the centre of South America is huge, conjuring up, as it does, a world of bright exotic images.

"The excitement of these places is boundless and an incredible experience," says Cooper. "But some can be far removed from civilisation - literally. You can be 200 miles from the nearest town."

"The climate is also a factor, which means you have to apply special care and attention - how you behave, what you take with you, what back-up processes there are. A lot more caution and precautions are required when exploring undeveloped areas."

The last word goes to Expotel: "Generally, it is hard to sell a destination that involves a change of planes, but catch a client's imagination and this obstacle falls away, "says Starkey." Then we draw on our experience and resources to ensure that a trip to an emerging destination goes smoothly. That is what we at Expotel are there for."