Banff has enticing promotions for budget-conscious planners, too, says Banfield. “Banff offers a co-branded gift card that you can give your guests: Choose a charity that aligns with your organization’s ESG strategies and Banff will match funding based on what you spend in the community and give it back to your non-profit,” she explains. 4. LOOK FOR RESORTS WITH YEAR-ROUND APPEAL Speaking of Banff, planners will get more bang for their budget during off-peak times, says Osmond Chiu, group services supervisor at Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort, which has 84 rooms, many dining options, plus the city’s largest hot tub. “Being a 20-minute gondola ride up the mountain, it’s your island in the sky,” says Chiu, adding that because Banff’s ski season runs through late May, incentive groups can ski in the morning and go hiking—for free—in town in the afternoon. “Bundle us with other experiences within the town of Banff, towards Château Lake Louise, Jasper, even BC,” he suggests. “We view Sunshine as a piece of a larger whole where groups can explore as much as they can to make the experience more worth it. In off-peak times, you’ll see lower rates and more affordable airfare pricing as well.” 5. LEVERAGE DMOS Don’t overlook destination management organizations DMOs, notes Banfield. In addition to helping offset some program costs, DMOs can extend your communications footprint. “For groups that don’t have the budget for social and digital media services, DMOs can fill that gap. In Long Beach, Calif., for example, they’ll organize an entire campaign for you to promote your event, and they’ll create customized welcome videos and microsites—a nice way to bring the destination to your audience,” she explains. Incentive guests want bespoke, authentic experiences they can’t do on their own but those don’t have to be at Michelin-star restaurants, adds Banfield. “Find untapped hidden gems within a city by leaning into your DMO and DMC partners,” she suggests. “WE’RE SEEING A PUSH TOWARDS GIFTING EXPERIENCES WHERE YOU BRING THE COMMUNITY TO THE PROGRAM AND YOU CREATE A MARKET OR ACTIVE GIFTING EXPERIENCES”. 6. CUT BACK ON LAVISH GIFTS Swap out traditional gifts with an unforgettable experiential program. “We’re seeing a push towards gifting experiences where you bring the community to the program and you create a market or active gifting experiences with a local jewelry maker to create a personalized, unique, bespoke piece for yourself; we’ve done that in Costa Rica,” says Banfield, who has also worked with local partners to craft scents using herbs, plants and flowers from the destination. “If you work with Flora Farms in Cabo San Lucas and you have florals for your evening event, they’ll take those florals and distill them down into a scent you can bring home. It’s a great way to have an interesting story that connects to your audience.” 7. MAKE ROOM FOR DOWNTIME Give attendees free time for wellness breaks or exploring the destination on their own, suggests Banfield. “Part of the reason for going on an incentive is having time to reward and recognize people outside their busy day-to-day lives. If you’re programming every minute of every day, they won’t be able to embrace that time for themselves,” she says. “Find that white space in a program where appropriate. That can also save you money. We’re offering Visa cards and listing restaurant recommendations that are walkable so people can explore on their own—that saves on transportation, too.” Banfield recently did a program in Amsterdam, choosing venues that were walkable or near water taxis, allowing her team to invest in other areas of the experience that were more meaningful. 54 | Ignitemag.ca | Summer 2024
