A Tree Farm Lesson in Employee Engagement
On a cool Pennsylvania evening, the seventh generation of my family’s tree farm stands quiet, the smell of cut wood lingering in the air. I’ve been coming here for nearly seven decades.
It’s where I’ve split logs until my hands ached, watched the sun slip behind the hills, and taught my kids how to find the North Star. It’s a place that resets me.
That feeling - of returning restored, connected, and ready to give more - is exactly what corporate travel incentives should deliver for your employees. It’s not about simply “getting away.” It’s about coming back richer, fuller, and more engaged in their work and your mission.
When Incentive Travel is Just a Transaction
For decades, many organizations have treated incentive trips like line items: book a destination, ensure the hotel is nice, and snap a few photos for the awards dinner slideshow.
It worked in a way - employees came back rested, maybe with a tan - but it rarely shifted how they felt about the company, the team, or their own contribution.
We’ve all seen it: the one-size-fits-all annual trip, the same itinerary for everyone, the reward that says “you’ve earned this,” but doesn’t deepen the bond between employee and employer.
That’s the conventional game. And it’s not enough anymore.
The Shift to Experiential
What’s replacing it is experiential incentive travel - trips designed around the individual, not the average.
Sometimes that’s box seats at a Penn State vs. Ohio State game for the sports fanatic on your team. Other times it’s a coral-restoration dive in the Caribbean for the employee who’s passionate about the environment.
"Travel is not just experiential, it’s aspirational."
The point isn’t to make every reward trip a corporate case study or a philanthropic mission. It’s to make each one matter in a way that lasts long after the plane ticket is filed away.
Why Inclusivity Matters in Rewards
Not every top performer dreams of the same trip - and that’s okay.
Joy has value. Personal relevance has value. A golf weekend might light one person up. For another, it’s a hands-on cooking class in Tuscany. Both can be transformational when they’re chosen with intention.
That’s why I avoid framing this as “old vs. new way.” Instead, it’s conventional vs. experiential. Conventional incentives are standardized; experiential incentives are tailored to the person, their passions, and their potential.
Lessons From a Naming Contest
When we rebranded our company, we invited the entire industry to suggest names. We thought we’d get a few ideas. Instead, we got a flood of responses - and a surprising realization: many didn’t know half of what we offered.
It became an accidental awareness campaign. Storytelling, we learned, educates the people closest to you about the full extent of your value.
It’s the same with incentive travel: when you stop delivering generic trips and start designing experiences, you tell a story your employees want to be part of - and retell for years.
The Experiential Spectrum for Teams
Here’s the truth: not every trip will change the world, but every trip can change the way your people feel about your organization.
Sometimes the impact is obvious - a sustainability project, a day spent with local artisans, a curated eco-resort. Other times, it’s indirect - a mental recharge that sparks a breakthrough idea, or a shared moment that strengthens cross-team trust.
The key is intention. Even if the trip is to a stadium where chicken wings will be flying, you can still connect it to something bigger - an offset initiative, a charitable tie-in, or structured moments for deeper conversation.
Building the Sustainable Collection
On a recent trip to London, I met a partner from Colombia who offers corporate travelers a menu of ways to give back: removing plastic from the ocean, restoring coral reefs, planting trees, growing seagrass in Africa.
We’re building a sustainable collection so companies can easily integrate these options into employee reward travel. It won’t replace leisure; it will enrich it. Participants can choose their cause, and you can measure and share the collective impact as part of your culture story.
A Client Story
One corporate client recently shifted from sending all top performers on the same resort package to offering curated, choose-your-own experiences.
One employee opted for beachfront dinners and live music. Another spent a day with local artisans, learning their craft. Weeks later, leadership told me the artisan workshop kept coming up in conversations - proof that the personal touch creates memories that matter.
That’s the experiential difference.
Technology as the Quiet Enabler
Here’s something you won’t find in glossy travel brochures: operational efficiency is what makes customization possible.
We’ve invested in AI and automation to streamline fulfillment, simplify reporting, and give program managers tools to build individualized itineraries with ease.
Technology doesn’t replace the human touch; it frees up time and resources to apply it where it matters most.
Why This Matters Now
Retention is harder than ever. Engagement is slipping. The pandemic reminded us that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
Incentive travel - done well - is one of the few investments that tackles all three. It deepens loyalty, fuels creativity, and strengthens the emotional connection between your people and your company.
And for the individuals you send, it’s a reminder that they are seen, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves.
What I’ve Learned
After decades in this business, I’ve come to believe three things:
- Every trip has the potential to be life-changing - if you design it that way.
- Inclusivity wins - don’t force people into a box; invite them into an experience.
- The world is your oyster - and so are the possibilities for how you reward your people.
If you’re planning incentive travel for your company, ask a bigger question than “Where should we send them?”
Ask, “What do we want this trip to mean for them - and for our culture?”
Because when you design for meaning, you stop delivering trips and start delivering transformations. And that’s where the real ROI lies.
If you’re rethinking how travel fits into your recognition, engagement, or retention strategy, I’d love to swap stories. Let’s explore how to make your next employee reward truly experiential.