Advancing the Science of Motivation
and Incentives Through Research

The Incentive Industry Trends 2011

The market for incentive travel shows signs of stabilizing in the coming year. This study, published in October 2010, outlines the prospects for 2011.

2011 Incentive Research Foundation Survey Finds New Trends

Incentive Research Foundation Survey Finds New Trends

2012 Trends in Rewards & Recognition

Important Research For Incentive Program Practitioners and Planners

A Survey of Incentive Travel Program Business Strategies

Incentive programs are a vehicle to stimulate and motivate people to improve their performance. This special report analyzes the business strategies and plans of practitioners in the incentive travel industry during periods of strong economic fluctuation.

Anatomy Of a Successful Incentive Travel Program

To provide a clearer picture of the broad, positive impact incentive travel programs have – both on participants and on those tangentially involved in an incentive travel program – the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) undertook an in-depth analysis of one company’s successful, longstanding use of incentive travel as a motivational tool. Contrary to the viewpoint recently presented in the media, this research concluded that incentive travel programs have a strong impact on not only individual motivation, retention and performance, but also on organizational culture and business results. Equally important, the research found that the program studied had significant qualitative and quantitative impact on the program destination’s economy and service providers.

Como Determinar el ROI en Programas de Viajes de Incentivo

Critical Findings for Recognition Travel Programs

Recogntion Travel, Employee Motivation, Incentive Program, Sales Motivation

Determining The Return on Investment of Incentive Travel Programs

Researchers surveyed executives responsible for designing incentive programs, as well as program winners," to provide a vivid picture of incentive travel program effectiveness," and to address both tangible (sales, market share) and soft (morale, customer loyalty) business goals. Researchers developed a Program Measures ROI template to provide users with an easily applicable tool to calculate financial and program impact as a result of the incentive campaign.

Does Incentive Travel Improve Sales Productivity?

Utilizing a case study model, the findings of this study present statistical evidence of the direct link between motivation programs and improved performance. By studying a UK-based insurance company, researchers were able to examine employee attitudes before and after the introduction of a tiered incentive campaign and determine the commercial value of incentive travel within a "live" business environment.

Effects of a Down Economy on the Incentive Industry

This Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) study reveals ways incentive program administrators are adapting their incentive travel and merchandise non-cash programs in a down economy. The survey of incentive travel providers, corporate incentive travel buyers and suppliers was conducted over a four-week period that concluded August 14, 2008.

Incentive Research Foundation Survey Says: Economy Impacting Incentive Trends

What a difference less than a year can make. Unlike the start of 2011, the Incentive Research Foundation’s (IRF) latest survey of incentive industry trends finds planners struggling with the effects of an economy caught in a slow recovery.

Incentive Research Foundation Vertical Market Study

The study will validate important information in the industry profile study in six vertical markets: electronic computer component/manufacturing, pharmaceutical preparation/manufacturing, new car dealers, telecommunications re-sellers, commercial banking, and insurance agencies and brokerages.

Incentive Travel Survey: The Dutch Corporate Market

The objective of this market study is to provide in-depth information on the Dutch market for incentives and group travel.

Involvement of Procurement or Purchasing in the Incentive Travel Business

The survey focuses on the views of industry professionals on the involvement of procurement or purchasing in the incentive travel business and the effects or consequences of such involvement.

January 2010 Pulse Survey Report

The survey focuses on the incentive industry trends, outlook for 2010. The data relates to incentive travel programs and merchandise non-cash incentive programs.

March 2009 Pulse Survey Report

The survey focuses on the incentive industry trends, outlook for 2009. The data relates to incentive travel programs and merchandise non-cash incentive programs.

Market Analysis of Incentive Travel in Germany

The first in-depth study of the German incentive travel market addresses: the types of incentives used, preferred itineraries and destinations; the corporate decision making process; demographic analysis of incentive travel participants; views of overall effectiveness; and external assistance in incentive travel programs.

New Zealand Incentive Industry

The study focuses on the incentive travel market in New Zealand and provides data on both the inbound and outbound incentive travel

President's Corner - March 2012

The rate of change in the business climate mirrors our recent weather experience. This rapid movement provides the same challenges in seeking to pin down trends and predict the next economic event. Yet this same fast pace of change can also pave the way for new opportunities in the management of people, especially in their reward and recognition programs. These programs when properly designed can be quickly recalibrated to meet employee needs with greater ease and precision than could be done in the past with conventional compensation structures.

Pulse Study: Spring 2011 Research Brief

For over four years the Incentive Research Foundation has been capturing and cataloging changes in travel and merchandise travel trends. The tumultuous nature of these past four years for providers and managers of recognition and incentive programs has been highly reflected in the data. Interestingly, in the spring of 2011, many of these trends have begun to stabilize providing a more solid picture of what is often deemed “the new normal”. The general outlook for both merchandise and travel have moved from negative or flat, to slightly positive with an underlying current of normalization and optimization. An overview of these trends is outlined below.

Rewards and Recognition as a Vital Compensation Component

With companies looking for new ways to boost sales and improve their competitive edge in a post-recession economy, comes a new study by the Aberdeen Group and distributed by theIRF that underscores the importance of “Rewards and Recognition as a Vital Compensation Component” and the competitive advantage companies gain when they go outside their organization for assistance in their design and implementation. By examining “Best-in-Class” trends for sales force compensation, the new study finds that top performing companies are twice as likely to use non cash rewards and recognition programs from an external partner. What makes this finding significant is the documented fact that annual corporate revenue year over year for those same companies is 6.6 percent higher than all other companies.

ROI in Channel Partner Conferences

The 2009 annual “Allsante Inc. Encounter” event for Georgia/Louisiana healthcare insurance brokers was designed to increase sales and profits in those specific markets and engage channel partners with the company’s brand. The June 10th-11th event included more than 50 key insurance owner/principal brokers, each of whom were individually selected and invited by Allsante Inc.

Spring 2010 Pulse Survey

Beginning in August 2008 it was decided that an appropriate topic for the 2008 Pulse Survey would be an incentive industry trends outlook for 2009 and with the continued economic conditions, also an appropriate topic for the trends outlook for 2010.

The "Evidence-Based" Case for Incentives (2009)

The white paper was written by Rodger Stotz, Chief Research Officer of The Incentive Research Foundation. The public response to stories like AIG and Wells Fargo has been emotional in nature with little effort to sort out the facts. The white paper stresses the importance of focusing on the "evidence-based facts" of incentive travel, motivational meetings, and events and to understand how they have improved business performance and the positive role they play in driving employment in the hospitality industry.

The Attractiveness and Effectiveness of Incentive Reward Options - A Case Study

Conducted at a life insurance company that offered a variety of incentive programs to its employees, this study offers insights into the strengths and weaknesses of five frequently used incentive rewards. The study examines the impact of reward options on such issues as organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and productivity. The study is recognized for providing empirical data revealing travel rewards to be the most attractive reward option offered by business.

The Benefits of Tangible Non-Monetary Incentives

The paper suggests how psychological processes can increase the perceived value of tangible non-monetary incentive awards over and above cash-based awards having the same market value.

The Effect of World Affairs on Incentive Travel

The survey focuses on the extent which world affairs causes concern to industry professionals and their constituencies about incentive travel to domestic and international destinations, the reasons for their concern, and whether they envision any change in the volume of incentive travel both domestically and internationally.

The Long-Term Impact of Incentive Travel in An Insurance Company

This study tests the use of travel and other incentive rewards within a business environment to determine the impact and return on investment (ROI) for such programs. This study was designed to analyze the ongoing impact of incentives in a user organization and to determine how such programs can be best structured. The study examined such factors as employee tenure, satisfaction levels, and enhanced sales over time.

The Market for Incentive Travel in Belgium and Luxembourg

As part of its marketplace studies, this Incentive Research Foundation research report provides an overview of incentive travel usage in Belgium and Luxembourg. The report identifies corporate usage levels, budget expenditures for programs, demographics of incentive participants, and preferred travel destinations for programs. A discussion of the tax implications of incentive travel in this market is included.

The Market for Incentive Travel in Mexico

This study analyzes incentive travel tourism from the United States to Mexico, in Mexico, and from Mexico to other countries. It is the first of its kind to be carried out in this country.

The Market For Incentive Travel, Motivational Meetings and Special Events (2008)

The report focuses on the market for incentive travel, motivational meetings, and special events and includes, among other facts, statistics on the size of the market, usage, annual expenditures, budgets, and profiles of each segment of the market.

The Market for Incentive Travel, Motivational Meetings, and Special Events (2007)

The study focuses on the size of the market for incentive travel, motivational meetings, and special events in the United States as well as the degree of their usage, development of industry definitions, profile of end users, and end user budgets.

Travel Incentives Boost Performance, Retention

Results from a recently conducted analysis of one company’s long-standing use of travel awards as a motivational tool show that such incentives have a clear, measurable and positive impact on employee performance and retention. The Incentive Research Foundation conducted the study to document the “anatomy” of an incentive travel program (ITP) and provide a better understanding of the broad reach of a successful ITP.

Volunteerism and its Role in the Incentive Travel Market: Perception and Use by Intermediaries and Companies Residing in Germany

The international incentive travel industry currently faces a trend to integrate social legacy initiatives during incentive trips. This is firstly determined by the pressure for companies to operate in a social responsible way. Secondly, increasing workforce changes have an impact on this trend. The aim of this research paper is to investigate the trend of volunteerism as an element of incentive travel in Germany.