Reward Your Incentive Travel Winners with a Central or Eastern European Vacation

If it has been a long year and your company’s team has worked hard to meet goals regarding sales and productivity, it might be time to consider organizing incentive group travel as a reward for their dedication and commitment. Whether you have an incentive travel program that runs throughout the year, or the company’s owner has decided to surprise your team with a trip to say thank you, your staff is sure to appreciate being appreciated and will thoroughly enjoy the chance to relax and prepare for even greater success during the next quarter.

Many resorts around the world offer eminently affordable group rates and, in addition, offer a respite from the ordinary vacation, allowing your colleagues to recharge and enjoy themselves in unique ways. Take for instance a delightful Central or Eastern Europe incentive travel package. It offers delightful and historic locales such as Budapest, Innsbruck, Krakow, Salzburg, Vienna and Warsaw. Most Eastern European countries have undergone dramatic changes since their shift away from Communist rule – especially in their tourism industries – and they are becoming more and more popular as vacation destinations every year.

Budapest is brimming with things to see and do, and the Le Meridien Budapest built in 2000 is the best place from which to branch out and do them. Located in the heart of this vibrant and bustling city, it is only a short distance from some of the finest shopping and dining the city has to offer, in addition to the historical Castle District, Old Town and the Danube River. Le Meridien offers state of the art meeting facilities if you are considering planning a working vacation and, as the 'City of Spas', Budapest is home to no less than eighty rejuvenating spas and pools.

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Seven Luxury Extras You Should Consider During Cruise Negotiations

Planning a cruise meeting or corporate event at sea always involves negotiating with the cruise line to ensure that you are getting the best deal, as well as the best value for your group cruise. You already know that you will likely be saving a significant amount of money by choosing an all inclusive group cruise over a land-based venue, and you can expect your group cruise planning process to be much simpler and more convenient than planning an event on land. Food and drink, accommodations, entertainment, meeting space, decorations and more will all be part of your simple, upfront pricing, but if you hone your skills of negotiation and play your cards right, you can get an even bigger bang for your buck.

Here are seven extras that will add value to your cruise event and that you may want to ask for during negotiations:

1. A private room with Internet access set aside solely for use by attendees of your cruise event
2. A welcome letter signed by the ship Captain and awaiting each attendee in their stateroom
3. An information/hospitality desk on the ship dedicated to serving your participants
4. Pre-arranged seating in the dining room
5. A complimentary group photograph for each member of your group cruise
6. A custom ice sculpture to be displayed at your main cruise event
7. Champagne and fruit awaiting your attendees in their stateroom

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Sunriver Resort: A Premier Incentive Travel Destination in the Pacific Northwest

Situated in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in Oregon's high desert to the east of the Cascade mountain range, Sunriver Resort is a retreat from the ordinary. Sunriver is actually one part of a 3,300-acre private residential and resort community. It offers guest rooms and suites in the main lodge, as well as condos, cabins and multi-bedroom vacation rental homes located on the resort grounds. Each guest room features a stone, gas fireplace, a king bed or two twin beds, and a private deck.

With 300 days of sunshine (receiving a majority of its precipitation in the winter), Sunriver Resort is an idyllic destination for incentive travel, offering award-winning golf on four courses, 26 tennis courts, a glamorous and relaxing spa, two swimming pools, two sprawling and lovely parks, and 35 miles of pedestrian pathways for cyclists or walkers, as well as dining and shopping at the Sunriver Village Mall. For skiing in the winter, Mt. Bachelor, with its award-winning trails, is only twenty minutes from the resort. In addition, your incentive travel winners can go boating on the Deschutes River, which can be accessed the marina at Sunriver Resort, or take in the resort's Nature Center and Observatory. Last but not least, the stable may be hired out for multi-hour trail rides, lessons and winter sleigh rides.

To learn more about this enticing incentive travel option, visit the Sunriver Resort website at www.Sunriver-Resort.com.

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Group Cruise Planning: Make Your Sailing Day a Celebration

If you are planning an incentive cruise, a corporate cruise event or meetings at sea, you can begin to set the mood for your all inclusive group cruise before the ship even sets sail. Prior to the day of embarkation, you can get your participants excited with branded cruise-related gifts, distributing schedules for what will take place each day of the cruise and providing information on available shore excursions. This will have your participants anticipating the trip and will build excitement for whichever type of cruise event you are planning.

On the day of sailing, you do not need to wait for everyone to board the ship before the festivities begin. You can begin to show them the royal treatment, or simply add a bit of customization to make your group cruise stand out, with a few simple things that will take very little time or effort on your part.

Here are five easy things you can do to add a little extra panache to your cruise event before boarding the ship:

1. Order custom signage for use at the airport and on transfer vehicles.
2. Make arrangements with the cruise line for a private check-in area for participants of your group cruise.
3. Organize a private bon voyage brunch or mixer prior to boarding.
4. Work with the cruise line to arrange for customized decorations for the pier.
5. Schedule an airplane flyover with a custom message that will be seen as you embark or during sailaway.

You might also consider hosting a private party with streamers and champagne to welcome your participants on board.

For more ways to customize your group cruise, or to take advantage of convenient group cruise planning tools, visit Seasite.com.

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Should You Choose a 4-Day, 5-Day or 7-Day Cruise?

When planning meetings at sea or a cruise event, the length of your voyage is always one of the first considerations. It is common for meeting planners to opt for shorter cruises when organizing an all inclusive group cruise, usually as a cost-saving measure or to ensure that attendees will not spend too many days away from the office. However, there are several advantages to opting for a 7-day cruise over a 4- to 5-day excursion and, during your group cruise planning, you will find that 7-day options may be just as affordable as their shorter counterparts. Additionally, longer cruises that do cost more are often well worth the small increase in price.

Here are three reasons you may want to choose a 7-day group cruise:

No additional days out of the office
– Seven-night cruises usually run from Sunday to Sunday or Saturday to Saturday, while 5-night options usually run from Monday through Saturday, and 4-night cruises are generally from Monday to Friday. This means that any option will probably lead to spending Monday through Friday out of the office.

Increased ship options – There are only limited options for cruises that are shorter than seven days; however, if you opt for a 7-day cruise, your selection of possible ships expands significantly.

Increased destination and itinerary options – Shorter cruises tend to stay closer to home, but choosing a 7-day group cruise opens up a variety of options, including the South Pacific or the Mediterranean.

Discover even more advantages to choosing a 7-day, all-inclusive group cruise by visiting Seasite.com, where you will also find a number of useful group cruise planning tools.

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Additional Factors to Consider When Choosing an All-Inclusive Resort

Opting for all-inclusive cruises and all-inclusive resorts makes travel planning much simpler and more convenient, and it is a great way to save money and know exactly what is included in a single, upfront price. All-inclusive incentive cruises are almost always the most affordable option for incentive travel awards or corporate event accommodations and can provide up to 40% savings over land-based resorts. When planning group cruises, it is easy to compare options and find prices by using the group cruise planning tools at Seasite.com.

For those who are planning land-based, all-inclusive travel packages, it can be a bit more challenging to find just the right option to suit your needs and your budget; however, you can make the process simpler by answering a few questions prior to selecting a destination and resort.

1. Will your participants expect suites or standard guest rooms? There are some all-suite resorts that might be a good option for higher-end participants that will expect upscale accommodations, while other resorts offering comfortable standard guest rooms can help you stay within a smaller budget.

2. Which type of resort will best meet your participants’ needs and expectations? There are all-inclusive resorts that primarily focus on one type of vacation, such golf packages, spa packages, couples packages or providing plenty of water sports and beach access.

3. Do the hotels you are considering offer off-site excursions, tours or activities as part of their all-inclusive package? Whether you are planning an incentive travel package or a corporate event, you will most likely be responsible for including entertainment and activities. If you select a resort that includes excursions, along with their many on-site offerings, this will save you the time it would take to plan separate outings and will allow you to benefit from the cost being included in the upfront price.

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Two Things to Consider When Choosing an All-Inclusive Resort

If you are looking for the right all-inclusive resort for your next corporate event or incentive travel award, there are a number of factors to consider in order to ensure a smooth planning process and happy participants.

Here are two important factors to keep in mind:

1. The type of traveler – Are your event attendees or incentive travel winners most likely to travel alone, with their partner or with their family? The answer to this question is very important and will determine which type of all-inclusive resort is the best option. There are adult-only resorts, resorts geared towards couples and family-friendly options, which makes it easy to choose the type that best fits your participants’ needs. There are also options that allow adults and teenagers, such as the Caribbean-based Breezes resorts, which allow guests ages 14 and older.

2. The distance from the airport – Ground transportation to and from the airport can be pricey, particularly if you have a large group arriving at different times and need to travel a long distance to reach your all-inclusive resort. Guests may also not appreciate a two-hour bus ride after a 10-hour flight. Choosing an all-inclusive resort that is just a short drive from the airport, but far enough away to provide a tranquil, luxurious environment is ideal, particularly if you are planning a corporate event with travelers coming from many different locations. Many popular destinations have all-inclusive resorts located in close proximity to major airports, such as Cancun, with resorts like Beach Palace, Moon Palace, Dreams Cancun, Crown Paradise Club and Cancun Palace all within a short drive from the Cancun Airport.

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All-Inclusive Travel to Greece and the Republic of Cyprus

Sun-soaked beaches, year-round warm weather, an abundance of historical sites, and delicious food and drink make Greece and the Republic of Cyprus enticing travel options for both corporate and leisure travel. As popular destinations, Greece and Cyprus both have a well-established travel and tourism industry, ensuring that event planners and incentive travel planners will enjoy a convenient planning process. Whether you are searching for a venue for an international conference or looking for an exciting destination for your incentive travel program, Greece or Cyprus will always prove to be a good choice.

One of the many positive aspects of Greece travel and Cyprus travel that increases their appeal to travel planners is the variety of all-inclusive options available. There are a number of all-inclusive resorts, including several family-friendly accommodation options, as well as all-inclusive cruises that stop in ports in Cyprus and Greece.

Some of the all-inclusive resorts in Greece and Cyprus include:

• Club Med
• Maris Hotels
• Mark Warner’s
• Coral Beach Hotel & Resort
• Kalypso Cretan Village
• Akteon Holiday Village

Club Med has four resorts located throughout Greece, including the Athenia Village, a family-friendly resort outside of Athens. Coral Beach Hotel & Resort, located in the Republic of Cyprus, is also a good choice for travel planners looking for family-friendly, all-inclusive options.

For travel planners interest in planning all-inclusive group cruises to Greece or Cyprus, Seasite.com offers a number of group cruise planning tools to make travel planning simple and convenient.

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All-Inclusive Travel to Mexico’s Riviera Maya

When searching for all-inclusive travel packages for business travel or incentive travel, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii and group cruises are often at the top of the list. Each of these choices provides a plethora of all-inclusive travel options that are affordable and enticing. However, when returning to these options on an ongoing basis, travel planners may begin to feel the need to find something new and unique to set their event or incentive travel program apart from the crowd. For example, Cancun, Mexico is a top destination for business and leisure travel, but if you have already organized five different events and travel awards with Cancun as the destination, it may be time to look for other viable options that will be new and exciting for your participants.

Fortunately, there are many other options available, including some that are in close proximity to Cancun, allowing you to use your knowledge, vendors and connections to make planning simple, while offering participants something new.

One option is the beautiful Riviera Maya, where visitors enjoy a 72-mile stretch of pristine beaches, picturesque outcroppings, lush jungles and several all-inclusive resorts. The Riviera Maya begins at Punta Brava, which is close to the Cancun International Airport, and stretches 72 miles south to Punta Allen, just outside of Tulum. Offering both natural beauty and an easy drive to city attractions, dining and entertainment options, the Riviera Maya offers a variety of accommodation options that range from economical to luxurious. Whether you are looking for an all-inclusive resort for a corporate event or an exotic destination for your incentive travel program, the Riviera Maya is one option that is sure to please your participants.

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Why All-Inclusive Cruises or Resorts are Ideal for Meeting Planners

Meeting planning can be exhausting work, particularly if you plan multiple meetings for a single employer, or are juggling several clients at all times. In the course of a single day, meeting planners are often meeting with clients, brainstorming new ideas to keep events fresh, managing employees, talking to vendors, touring venues, ordering flowers and decorations, working with caterers to create event menus, reserving blocks of hotel rooms, invoicing clients and finding the right entertainment for their next corporate event – and, on some days, that is just what happens before lunch.

Because of this, anything that can make a meeting planner’s job a bit easier is usually cheerily welcomed and can assist you in providing better planning services to your clients by allowing you to divvy up your time and attention as needed. This is one of the main reasons meeting planners find all-inclusive cruises and resorts such an appealing option. When choosing all-inclusive travel, planners can enjoy the benefits of having fewer components that require individual planning, as well as knowing exactly what is covered in a single, upfront price. Additionally, participants will enjoy all that is included in all-inclusive travel and will likely have a better overall experience.

All-inclusive cruises and all-inclusive resorts are accustomed to working with meeting and travel planners, which makes your job as a planner even easier and more convenient. Additionally, choosing all-inclusive options generally is a money-saving move, particularly when you opt for group cruises, which can result in up to 40% savings over choosing a land-based venue.

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