Another speaker, James B. Dittman, CITE, of Dittman Incentive Marketing in Edison, NJ, claimed that today's companies ask not whether to build beach Olympics into an incentive program, but whether to hold the incentive travel program at all.
But, he pointed out, in a world where people are often downsized with no warning and corporate loyalty is out, people need to belong, to feel part of something worthwhile. "It's difficult to get a round of applause on the Internet," he summarized.
As people have become more experienced travelers, other speakers said, they want the same variety of choices in incentive travel that they seek in their individual travel. That is, participants want more authenticity, more adventure, and more mental stimulation when they travel today. They are more aware of options and want to learn about new cultures, not just enjoy rest and relaxation.
