The key to a successful international program is establishing a close partnership with a ground operator/destination management company in your incentive destination. Some planners prefer to handle international incentive travel through a U.S.-based incentive house, but this "middleman" can add to your cost significantly and, more important, deprive you of the wonderful experience of creating the program. With faxes and e-mail, there are no barriers to working directly with overseas companies. And many have U.S. offices.
A good ground operator will assist you in every aspect of your program, from airport greeting to hotels. In the U.S., meeting planners usually deal directly with hotels on a net-rate basis, but in Europe, Africa, and Asia, I prefer to work through local ground operators. I believe I get better service and often a lower room rate by letting them handle the hotel even though they receive a commission. Since they work with the hotels frequently, ground operators usually have more negotiating clout than you do. And when they receive commissions from hotels, you are in a better position to negotiate lower fees on other services, such as ground transportation, tours, theme events, and the like. Finally, ground operators give you a better chance of getting the best rooms for your attendees. In Europe in particular, even in five-star hotels, guest rooms are anything but standard. Ground operators know where the best rooms are and will negotiate for them on your behalf.
We live in a high-tech world, but a successful travel program comes down to people working with people. It's worth interviewing several companies to find the right chemistry. Trust, integrity, and creativity are high on my list of requirements, and I have been very fortunate to establish partnerships with many excellent ground operators throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. They are listed above.
Italy Mario Caltagirone Intercontinental Travel Co. Rome, Italy Phone: 39-06-303321 Fax: 39-06-30880557 itc_roma@prone.it
Switzerland Rudy Alofs, Jacques Pappasian Conventus of Switzerland Lausanne, Switzerland Phone: 41-216-174371; Fax: 41-216-174380 rudy.alofs@conventus-swiss.com
French Riviera Lenny Ch Spangberg, Michael Freeland LSO Nice, France Phone: 33-493-188111; Fax: 33-493-188108
Paris Francois Gailliard LaFayette Travel Paris, France Phone: 33-148-740544; Fax: 33-142-821489
London Ted Wilkinson Wilkintours Ltd. Phone: 0181-844-4000 Fax: 0181-844-4009 wilkintours@easynet.co.uk
East Africa Dennis Pinto Micato Safaris New York, New York Phone: 212-545-7111; Fax: 212-545-8297 micatony@aol.com
South Africa Andrea N. Hugo Rennies Incentive &
Conference Management Norfolk, Va. Phone: 757-855-1572; 800-322-3867 Fax: 757-855-4260 atousa@aol.com
Asia (specifically, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Bali, Singapore) Robert W. Guy Pacific World Singapore Phone: 65-290-1801; Fax: 65-291-1633 bobguy@pacificworld.com
Australia Gillian Robb Australian Incentive Travel Co. pty. Ltd. Sydney, Australia Phone: 61-2-247-8355; Fax: 61-2-247-8473
Greece Byron D. Argiri Conceptours Athens, Greece Phone: 301-324-0191; Fax: 301-323-9515
Turkey Ceylan Pirinccioglu VIP Tourism Istanbul, Turkey Phone: 90-212-231-1564 Fax: 90-212-225-0644
Russia Marko Podkubovsek Networld, Inc. Livingston, N.J. Phone: 973-992-3411; Fax: 973-992-5028