| This month Sales Promotion Magazine reports on how travel and leisure incentives offer recession-hit consumers an opportunity for escape.
Recession-hit Britons have been staying at home this year, so “an opportunity to escape, just for a moment, from the hardships of the daily grind will always appeal” says Peter Lidgey MD of OgilvyAction. He cites an on-pack promotion where consumers had the choice of £10,000 in cash or a holiday of a lifetime. Despite the flexibility offered by hard cash, more than 90% of winners chose the holiday.
Justine Clement, MD of Unmissable says travel holds its appeal as an incentive because it often has a higher perceived value when compared to consumer goods that are easy to put a price tag. “Travel incentives give people an opportunity to go away during the credit crunch when they might not have otherwise been able to” she explains.
Travel incentives work well if they align with the brand. “It can incorporate a brand message and therefore has more relevance to the audience. It also shows thought, that the brand or company has actually taken time to think about what the target audience might enjoy” says Clement.
For 2010, Clement suggests brands should look to travel incentives involving South Africa to tie in with the World Cup, with Cape Town offering plenty of activities that are not necessarily football-related. Similarly, Vancouver will be in the news for the Winter Olympics in February. Other good destinations will be Istanbul, which is 2010 European City of Culture, and Gozo which is attracting interest as an undiscovered paradise, she says.
Justine Clement predicts that a need for caution will continue. "Incentive trips will need to have a purpose, such as include some type of training, meeting, product launch or presentation. Companies will not want to be perceived by sharesholders, employees, competitors, clients or the press as frittering money on 'jollies'.
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