Unique experiences, more than any other facet of a trip or meeting, create memories that last a lifetime. Incredible hotels, great golf courses and luxurious spas always score points but with savvy, well-traveled attendees, we often have to think beyond the classic favorites. It’s time to get creative – and make your program truly unforgettable.
Get out the Bucket List
Everyone has one – a bucket list full of “someday I’ll …” ideas. Draw them out from your participants. These ideas take your trip to the next level by providing opportunities that attendees would never encounter in day-to-day life. If you’re gathering in wine country, consider sunset hot air balloons over the vineyards. If a winter wonderland is more your style, add on dog sledding and sleigh rides. Surprise the adrenaline junkies in the group with a dream sports car driving experience like the one produced in Napa Valley and Boca Raton by Robb Report’s RR1 for its Car of the Year issue.
Get Active
Create wellness opportunities for your attendees to bond together by providing an active experience that gets them together. Rather than a bus tour exploring a destination, think about renting bikes. Partner with your resort to design a custom yoga experience on the beach with flamingos, like you’ll find at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Even just setting up a hike or fun run can be an easy and positive start to each day!
Get Immersed
Dive deep into local cultural experiences that allow attendees to deeply connect with your destination. Visiting Puerto Rico? Arrange a kayak trip through the bioluminescent bay with a guide to learn about Puerto Rico’s unique ecosystem. Planning a meeting in London? Carve out some time for a private tour of the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. From cultural tours, to dance lessons, authentic cooking classes to tastings of local wines and spirits – unique immersive experiences like these both educate and inspire.
Give Back
If mission and community are important to your brand, make sure that also flows through your meeting or incentive trip. Partnering with and supporting a local organization builds good will and a feeling of making a difference that lasts long after the trip has passed. Make the charity the entertainment, like the growing and impactful Nashville-based Operation Song, which empowers veterans and their family members to tell their stories through the process of songwriting. Performing on stage the original works of their members raises awareness of their important work and gives your attendees a powerful emotional connection that leaves its mark long after the event concludes.
Every great program begins with a great destination. It’s the experiences and how they connect your attendees that make it unforgettable. If you’re ready to create some that land on the bucket list of every participant of your meeting or trip, give us a call – we’re here to help.
About Us: SDI Meetings & Incentives is the global-yet-boutique incentive travel and strategic meetings partner that creates travel and meeting experiences to reward performance and fuel growth. Founded in 1992, SDI taps decades of expertise to deliver custom solutions defined by our clients’ goals and managed from concept through execution by one tenured point of contact. We’ve produced programs around the world, for groups from 10 to thousands, and we start with strategy and planning and follow-through to the wrap-up and evaluation. Find out more and contact us at www.sditravel.com.
