2020 Incentive Trends

December 20, 2019

As not only a new year but a new decade is upon us, Prevue reached out to industry insiders to find out what 2020’s biggest incentive trends will be.

According to Padraic Gilligan, chief marketing officer of SITE, the fact that one size no longer fits all is one of the biggest incentive trends he is seeing. “As regional diversity around incentives intensifies, the industry is taking note,” he says.

Another trend, according to Gilligan, is incentives are increasingly being organized to support company culture, particularly in the European Union.

The third trend he sees is hotel spend is increasing at a faster rate than any other spend element.

The fourth is safety is now the number one criteria for destination selection followed by infrastructure and then destination appeal.

The biggest trend Jenn Glynn, SITE’s president elect for 2020 and co-manager of Meeting Encore Ltd. and Intuitive Conference + Events, identifies is immersive experiences that are more authentic to the destination. Others according to Glynn are smaller personalized groups, givebacks that are incorporated into the destination, and programs that incorporate sustainable practices.

Kelly Kunz, account executive, Brightspot Incentives & Events, and the president of SITE’s Texas chapter, agrees that there will be an increased emphasis on creating truly authentic experiences. “Think cultural immersion and activities that can only be discovered in a specific destination that create a lifelong memory,” she says.

Another trend Kunz identifies is the demise of the exclusivity of incentives. “Research shows that the most successful incentive programs are those that have the most reach. The more inclusive your incentive is, the more impactful it will be,” she explains. “At Brightspot, we’re seeing even more demand for unique destinations. Iceland, Croatia, second-tier cities in what are considered typical countries garner interest and curiosity.:

The last trend she sees is that incentive budgets are on an upward trend. “As a result, creativity will become paramount across the board. Not just in destination selection, but the entire attendee experience from promotion of the trip to the halo effect after,” adds Kunz.