How Incentive Travel Promotes Cultural Understanding

Just as the world has become so much smaller, opening new horizons of intercultural understanding, a tide of nationalist sentiment appears to be rising. Change is frightening for some.  But for those of us who’ve had the pleasure of getting to know the world outside our own cultural borders, it’s exciting.  People who travel encounter the “other” as people who live somewhere else, yet have the same core values and dreams we do. Superficial differences don’t faze those who’ve been out in the world, experiencing the vast diversity of human social organization.  That’s because we’ve discovered something deeper and that something is shared humanity. Incentive travel promotes cultural understanding because it takes your employees inside cultures they might not normally have a chance to experience.  And experience is one of the most desired components of incentive travel, in recent years, as it is across the global travel industry. We could tell you about all the facets of incentive travel that contribute to understanding across varying cultures, but we’d rather tell you a personal story that we believe drives the point home.

One person at a time.

At Incentive Travel Group, we’ve been planning and executing premium travel incentive experiences for more than 20 years.  Over that time, we’ve had many unforgettable experiences and heard many more from our clients.  But one stands out above all others. On a recent travel incentive, one of our clients was on a corporate retreat.  The destination was the small village of Las Animas de Quimixto, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The village being accessible only by water taxi, the group was both surprised and delighted by the absence of sophisticated infrastructure.  Only a few of the group spoke any Spanish, but they found the locals in Las Animas willing to breach the language barrier with openness. That’s how one of member of the group, a curious millennial, learned about the lives of local fishermen and the bioluminescent algae, visible in the water at night.  Luis and Patty bridged the linguistic and cultural barriers which separate people, because of their shared interest in the world around them.  They found a sweet spot between their cultures which united them in shared experience and common humanity. Because of Luis, Patty also discovered that the local high school needed help developing critical learning supports.  She and others local to the area, have been able to start the process of connecting the students there with educational resources that offer them access to 21st Century learning. This one incentive travel encounter broke through the wall between Luis and Patty and created something of lasting resonance and great value.  That’s how incentive travel promotes cultural understanding – one person at a time. At Incentive Travel Group, we know we live on a small planet.  We’re living expansively on it when we seek to tear down walls, rather than build them.  Our time on this planet is short and ITG is spending it building those crucial cultural bridges to understanding and friendship through incentive travel. Contact us to find out more.

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Testimonials

  • Evan Polin
    Sandler Training

    "I've been working with Bruce and his team on two projects and they've been great to work with. Bruce has helped us set up a referral/incentive program for us to roll out with our clients and strategic partners. Bruce was great to work with. He's set up a 7 tier program that allows for flexibility and he's also helped us to market the program."

  • Kevin O'Keefe
    Vice President World Wide Sales, Maginatics, Inc.

    "Beverly arranged and managed the early Envivio Sales incentive trips for us. Each of our events was an outstanding and motivating experience Our Sales team appreciated the attention to detail and to fun. Qualifying for the "trip" was a motivating factor behind many end of year sales pushes. I will use Beverly again in the future."

  • Mickey Poorman
    Laird Technologies

    "Peak Performance’s attention to detail and personal service made me feel like I had a true corporate meeting planning partner that I could rely on throughout the planning process right up until I was on site. I look forward to doing more meetings with them."

  • Marco Lopez
    C& J Energy Services, Inc

    "I have used your services two years in a row and you all have made my vacation a great one. You have the most helpful and considerate employees. Always very friendly, respectful and willing to make my travel experience a good one. Thank you and keep up the great job."

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