Will incentive trips continue to be seen as an effective motivator? Beauchine: Incentives are a no-brainer, because they’re paid for out of incremental gains. By nature, incentive pro- grams stimulate more sales; they’re self-funded essentially by using a portion of the gains. I think that concept isn’t widely understood.A good incentive program, by definition, isn’t a tourist program. It’s a special event that gives access to special experiences that you couldn’t otherwise have on your own.

How are incentive programs changing with younger generations’ participation? Anderson: The way Millennials relax and recharge is very different fromthe standard golf-and-spa program. Those are still staples, but there’s [an interest in] soft adventure, being outdoors, hiking —events where you’re a little more active.And also, the Millennials bring a sense of balance that Boomers don’t have—they want some down time.The more that planners are tuned in to the demographics of their group and the objectives they want to achieve—the more that is addressed up front—the more highly successful the events are on the back end. Beauchine: As the Millennials

come up, they want a different kind of trip. They want more free time, more adventure, and they’re less tolerant of putting on a suit and tie for a cocktail party by the pool every night.

Did any positive changes come out of this difficult period? Beauchine: One of the things that happened is that com- panies spent the same amount of money, they just put it in a check, because of the visibility issue. They didn’t want to lose the recognition of their employees. Which is why meas- uring the impact [of incentive programs] is so important.

Everything that we do is measureable.And the impact of these programs is not talked about enough. They create such impact both before they operate and after they operate. Their value lasts far longer than an extra few thou- sand dollars in their paycheck. Anderson: It caused the users of motivational events to

examine their programs and look at what they were trying to accomplish and do it in a way that would hold up under scrutiny. That’s a normal backlash reaction, and it’s a reality that we’re nowliving in. So the way that we move forward as planners and the way our industry moves forward is with much more preparation and connection—laying out the goals at the very beginning of the program. People don’t mind when someone is rewarded for a job well done. That’s the American dream. But when it looks like it’s been done recklessly and not tied to results— that’s when the scrutiny happens. I think community is an important

piece in this new sensibility. Corpo- rate social responsibility has really come out in a big way, and I think it’s because when the economy is tough on everyone, people want to feel connected to something that’s bigger than themselves.A lot of incentive trips are building in a component where the participants really touch a community, where they help build a school or fill backpacks. I think that’s become a part of the way that a lot of these programs are moving forward.

None of us would have chosen for it to come down

this way. But given that it’s happened, I think our industry has come out of it much stronger.We know that in times of duress, you get really clear. It’s been a grueling time and a time of great inspiration.

Michelle Russell is editor in chief of Convene.

on_the_web www.pcma.org To learn more about Site and the Site International Foundation, visit www.siteglobal.com. pcma convene October 2010 83

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