Home Meeting Planner Resources Exclusive: An Incentive Planner Looks Ahead

Exclusive: An Incentive Planner Looks Ahead

September 3, 2024

Incentive planner Heidi Dillon.

Prevue recently caught up with Heidi Dillon, Manager of Event Operations for One10—a leader in incentives and recognition, marketing services, travel and events—to talk incentive trends, results and destination insights.

Are expectations for incentive travel changing? One Millennial planner says yes, recipients are looking for a different kind of experience from their travel rewards.

Prevue: What trends or changes are you seeing?

Heidi Dillon: When I started in 2011-2012, I was seeing more formulaic types of programs… with a welcome dinner, three activities, a closing dinner and there you go. Now it feels like there’s a greater intentionality in some of these choices. Priorities are shifting. It’s not just about the destination and when we’re going, but more about every moment along the way.

Why do you think that is happening?

One thing is the reality of how we’re all online… on Instagram and TikTok… and you see what other people are doing, so how are you standing out from the crowd? That is pushed back on the planners and companies, to figure out how to be creative and really provide people with that unique opportunity.

What are some of the unique opportunities you see planners offering?

I think there’s a generational shift that we’re seeing, and Millennials for example tend to want more of that experiential type of travel. They want to get out and meet people when they travel. Gen Z as well; they’re very much living in the moment.

There are definitely still requests for the all-inclusive type of beach destination when you need to relax and unwind. But I think if I were to draw a line graph, there’s a higher ask for the opportunity to get out in the local community, where you get that sense of place and know where you are. Beaches are beautiful, but do you know if you’re in the Bahamas or Mexico or wherever else around the world? Those in-person opportunities help bridge connections and open dialogue, which then helps people be a little more empathetic toward one other.

How important are incentives when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent?

It’s a no-brainer. You absolutely have to care about that top talent. But really, if you can elevate the performance of your middle 50 percent by 3 percent [or numbers to that effect], that’s a major payoff. If you can get those people engaged and get them to sell a little bit more or fill in a job role here or there a little bit more, that’s a huge component of pushing your company to the next level.

What about the future of planning incentive travel?

AI is just getting crazy out there. I’m curious to see how that changes the game. We’re almost ahead of the trend because we know more is coming…but we’re also kind of behind the trend in that it already exists, so if you’re not using it, you’re behind.

I also think it’s going to be interesting to see how budgets are affected because of rising hotel rates and inflation. That’s going to force some additional creativity.