In 30 years of planning incentive travel programs, I have learned a thing or two: Creating what is known in the business as the “wow factor” is a necessity. Almost every program has to be memorable for something, and it’s something you need to keep in mind and sometimes budget for. Another thing to keep in mind is timing. Your wow factors should not be used early in the program unless you are fortunate enough to find a destination with awesome venues that can provide unforgettable events daily.
I once had a very small group of 25 people in London. On the last evening we had a very elegant dinner in one of London’s spectacular 18th Century guild halls, one that reminded you of the mansion of a duke and duchess. It was just beautiful. After dinner was served at one long polished table with the customary Olde English traditions, we opened the doors to reveal 50 members of the Queen’s Coldstream Guards—the red-coated fellows with the big black bearskin hats who change daily in front of Buckingham Palace. They marched into the room with snare drum cadence and the group went wild! They played several numbers (mostly American songs), finishing with “America The Beautiful,” and there was not a dry eye in the house!
In Rio de Janiero return flights generally leave at midnight. After a final day on Copa Cabana Beach, my group left very early for a very special dinner en route to the airport! Dinner was served atop Sugarloaf Mountain! The chiparinas flowed and, just before departing for the airport, several cariocas in dazzling costumes led us all in a spirited samba! Everyone danced! Most of us were asleep before takeoff.
Once in Paris I had a group of 255 and was able to privatize a glass-top dining bateaux on the River Seine. As corny as it may sound, after a couple glasses of wine and some decent cuisine, floating by some of the world’s most beautiful, famous, and iconic landmarks—illuminated against a dark evening sky—is unforgettable! Throw in a couple of strolling violins and a concertina and you have created a wow factor! Many customers over the years have said that evening was one they will never forget!
Dressing up in costumes can be really exciting. The Bonnie Prince Charlie outfit is something everyone loves, and a final evening in Scotland becomes extra special because of it. Additionally, the ladies and gentlemen have the educational opportunity to visit a kilt maker, learn how to wear a kilt, and also learn all about the tartan and its stories. Lots of blue mean the clan lived near the sea, green means the highlands, and so forth.
I like to use famous natural and historical sites as much as possible and love to hear people say, “I can’t believe I’m here!” Museums, libraries, and unusual venues like zoos or parks should be considered. The Singapore Zoo has a specially designed train that slowly chugs past lighted habitats of lions, tigers, and the like as you dine on a fine meal. Sipping wine while gliding past a magnificent and regal lion standing on a huge boulder with the moon in the background—wow!
In the Caribbean have a formal dinner on the beach. Plan dinners with either courses or stations representing different sections of the country or city. In a city like Philadelphia (where I live), for example, you could serve Asian cuisine to represent Chinatown, Italian for South Philly, and haute cuisine for Rittenhouse Square. Dessert would be Tastykake (a Philadelphia classic) and rhubarb tart (Benjamin Franklin’s favorite).
I love to tell a story through food, and buffets are the best way. But I have learned that people react very strongly to food they don’t like or find too foreign. I served a true beef Wellington once, with the beef and pastry separated by the traditional layer of pate de foie gras. You would have thought I tried to poison my guests! I served beef steeped in beer once in Switzerland, and my guests didn’t “get it” at all; I believe they used the word “slop.”
Be elegant and different at times but never too exotic. I know some very wealthy, well-traveled people who have done almost everything there is to do in the world but whose palates are not sophisticated at all. Keep in mind that American groups tend to equate quantity with quality, and always remember nothing says wow like surf-and-turf and a flaming dessert!
Sometimes the wow factor comes as a bonus! Once at the Acapulco Princess, at the height of its reputation as the incentive hotel in the world, Faberge (remember Brut cologne?) was having an incentive program for its “heavy hitters.” At the time, Cary Grant, Joe Namath, and Farah Fawcett all were very visible and seemed to be everywhere! “I just came down in the elevator with Cary Grant”! one of my clients exclaimed. “I was just in the pool with Broadway Joe!” cried another. “Gee, Farah Fawcett sure looks better in pictures, doesn’t she?" The funny thing is that I sat at the hospitality desk in the lobby all day long, day after day, and saw no one! Twenty-five years later people are still talking about it.
People like to participate in things. Once in Ixtapa, Mexico, there was a restaurant with a Moroccan theme called Bogart’s. I simply asked everyone to wear white and called it our “White Night in Casablanca.” Everyone got into it, and as we all gathered outside the restaurant the sight of 150 people all dressed in white was quite remarkable.
When planning the actual dinner, many times you have to make tough choices due to budget and what is available. In Venice I had to reduce the budget for the band as each band charged water transportation on its contract. Sometimes the food is so expensive that you need to skimp on or skip centerpieces. Sometimes the room itself is such a wow that the food and wine will not be remembered anyway.
Once in St. Petersburg, Russia, I hosted a special dinner in the blue room of the Russian Empire Restaurant in the Stroganov Palace. The furnishings and china all were designed by the House of Versace, and the walls, ceilings, and floors all were of complimentary design and the same color as the china. It was like being inside an ornate robin’s egg, and the effect was breathtaking. My boss was in the room next door, which was red and every bit as remarkable. Our guests were totally stunned, and I really don’t think anyone noticed that the food was really not that good. The fact that the food was prepared according to the original recipes of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandria, was meant to be a wow, but apparently Nicholas and Alexandria simply were not “foodies.”
The bottom line is that the wow factor, indeed, matters a great deal to the success of your program. Fireworks, special food, and entertainment are what a true incentive travel program is all about. I always go for the good ol’ jaw drop at least twice during a program. I sit with a day-by-day blocked schedule and make sure there is balance. I examine the time periods when the group is on its own versus when it’s together. The time at leisure should balance the structured activities.
The wow factor should be examined and thoughtfully added as needed. The possibilities of success and failure should always be examined. There is a great deal more to planning a memorable, wow-filled incentive travel program than just making some reservations.
Incentive online columnist Brian Martenis is managing director of Incentive Worldwide Travel. After 10 years as sales promotion director for one company and 19 years as sales incentives manager for another, he brings to the company nearly 30 years of designing and implementing successful incentive travel programs all over the world. Brian is passionate about every aspect of his programs and is often asked to write and speak about incentives, incentive travel, and motivation. He can be reached at brianm@incentivewt.com.
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