Are you ready to take your incentive program to the next level?
We’ve created a list of the top incentive travel companies of 2024 that can help you craft unforgettable experiences for your top performers, partners, and customers.
The Best Incentive Travel Management Agencies
Let us help take the guesswork out of planning your next incentive trip.
Whether you're looking for a travel management company to help identify locations, plan activities or manage travel, these companies have the right combination of skills to help you host a ‘wow’ worthy event.
The top 10 incentive travel planning companies of 2024 are:
- GoGather
- Maritz Global Events
- BI Worldwide
- ITA Group
- First Incentive Travel
- Brightspot
- One10
- Creative Group
- CIRE Travel
- Cadence Travel
These event management companies were selected based on factors such as expertise, reliability, innovation, and variety of services offered.
A lot of planning goes into a incentive travel program, and choosing the right partner can elevate your event from just okay to truly memorable.
1. GoGather
GoGather has decades of combined experience in the world of event management and travel incentive programs. Their team works closely with you identify your goals, plan communications, and build out a full event strategy.
They believe that your incentive travel programs should be a crafted experience that's more than just a vacation in a pretty location. They’ll help you put together an incentive travel program from start to finish that inspires your employees to hit their sales targets year after year.
GoGather also recognizes that incentive travel programs go beyond just rewarding internal employees; it serves as a powerful tool for client incentives, partner recognition, and dealer incentives.
Headquarters: San Diego, California
Instagram: gogather
LinkedIn: GoGather Corporate Meetings and Events
What clients does GoGather work with?
GoGather works with many Fortune 1000 companies in various industries including transportation logistics, scientific research, healthcare, and financial services.
What services does GoGather offer?
Full-service event management, including strategy, destination selection, itinerary planning, contracts and negotiations, logistics management (on & off-site), brand management, budgeting and reporting, and attendee experience
What destinations has GoGather hosted incentive programs in?
Bali, Mallorca, Florence, Costa Rica, Cabo San Lucas, Hawaii, Bora Bora
2. Maritz Global Events
Maritz has more than 60 years of experience planning incentive trips. They strive to create bold, unforgettable experiences that motivate salespeople, drive growth, and build employee loyalty.
They understand that an incentive travel program looks different for each company and that different trips have different needs. If you’re looking for a company that can tailor their services to meet your unique requirements, Maritz is a great fit.
Headquarters: Fenton, Missouri
LinkedIn: Maritz
What clients does Maritz work with?
Martiz serves diverse clients across multiple sectors, spanning from agriculture to healthcare.
What services does Maritz offer?
Incentive travel program design and campaign communications, sourcing and contracting, registration and ticketing, onsite event support
What destinations has Maritz hosted incentive trips in?
St. Kitts, Nevis, Bahamas, London
3. BI Worldwide
BI Worldwide, established in 1950, is a well-known events agency with offices around the world. They understand the power of inspiring employees through travel experiences and are passionate about creating incentive programs that directly benefit your bottom line.
Their comprehensive event solutions encompass sales incentives, employee recognition programs, and a diverse range of experiential rewards tailored for employees, sales teams, channel partners, and clients.
Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Instagram: biworldwide
LinkedIn: BI WORLDWIDE
What clients does BI Worldwide work with?
They work with clients in a variety of industries including hospitality, technology, logistics, and staffing.
What services does BI Worldwide offer?
Employee recognition, employee rewards, travel incentives, employee engagement, sales incentives, sales rewards, and customer loyalty programs
What destinations has BI Worldwide hosted incentive tripsprograms in?
U.S., Australia, Canada, China, Latin America, India, and the United Kingdom
4. ITA Group
Since 1963, the ITA group has been managing events, incentives, and recognition programs that inspire both businesses and audiences. By combining data and teamwork, they curate programs that celebrate achievements and encourage positive actions.
They view the incentive travel industry as more than just fancy getaways; they see them as opportunities for stakeholders to ignite motivation and for attendees to get the recognition they deserve.
Headquarters: West Des Moines, Idaho
Instagram: itagroup
LinkedIn: ITA Group, Inc.
What clients does ITA Group work with?
Most of ITA’s clients are in software and technology, insurance and risk management, financial services, and telecommunications industries.
What services does ITA Group offer?
Incentive travel programs, air management, event planning, event gifting, event analytics, and on-site management
What destinations has ITA Group hosted incentive programs in?
Marrakech, Rome, San José Del Cabo, Dominican Republic, Singapore, Vietnam, South Africa
5. First Incentive Travel
First Incentive Travel specializes in creating inspiring corporate travel programs that bring your teams together. Serving as an extension of your team, they handle all aspects of event communication strategy, planning, and execution.
Specializing in rewards programs, corporate retreats, and cruise programs, their expertise guarantees a successful corporate in person meetings from start to finish.
Headquarters: Orlando, Florida
Instagram: firstincentivetravel
LinkedIn: First Incentive Travel Inc.
What clients does First Incentive Travel work with?
Most of their incentive trip clients are in the automotive manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries.
What services does First Incentive Travel offer?
Full corporate travel services, site inspection, vendor management, on-site program management, giveaway and branding merchandising, and air travel management
What destinations has First Incentive Travel hosted incentive programs in?
Aruba, Bahamas, Punta Cana, Cancun, Los Cabos, Hawaii, Bermuda, Africa, Europe
6. Brightspot
Brightspot, an award-winning event management agency, offers customized sales incentive programs, group incentive travel, full-service meeting planning, and integrated engagement campaigns.
They specialize in crafting once-in-a-lifetime incentive trip experiences for your highest performers. Whether you want to host a domestic or international trip, they can help you design the right experiential incentive program that fits your company’s needs.
Headquarters: Irving, Texas
Instagram: brightspotie
LinkedIn: Brightspot Incentives & Events
What clients does Brightspot work with?
They work with various clients in the food, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and media industries to help plan their incentive trips.
What services does Brightspot offer?
Partner rewards, dealer incentives, customer loyalty, corporate events management, employee awards and recognition, program design and management, and sales incentive award programs
What destinations has Brightspot hosted incentive programs in?
Bahamas, Punta Cana, Fiji, Punta de Mita, Costa Rica, Park City
7. One10
One10 is a leader in performance improvement solutions, including incentives and recognition, travel and events, and marketing services.
This incentive travel company understands that travel is a universal motivator, but choosing the right kind of travel for your company can be a challenge. Travel companies like One10 work closely with clients to develop personalized events that inform, engage, and reward stakeholders.
Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Instagram: one10inc
LinkedIn: One10
What clients does One10 work with?
They work with large-scale companies in the hospitality and travel industries.
What services does One10 offer?
Employee incentive and recognition programs, group incentive travel, business travel, channel partner incentives, customer loyalty and engagement programs
What destinations have One10 hosted incentive programs in?
South Africa, Nashville, Paris, Bermuda, New Zealand, Maldives, St. Lucia
8. Creative Group
Since 1970, Creative Group has been a top meeting, incentive, and recognition agency. They enjoy hosting events in unique destinations and giving their clients ‘wow’ worthy experiences.
This group is an expert in understanding current trends and what a multi-generational workforce wants when it comes to incentive programs. If you’re looking to partner with an innovative event management agency with fresh ideas, this travel company is a great pick.
Headquarters: Schaumburg, Illinois
Instagram: cgthrive
LinkedIn: Creative Group, Inc.
What clients does Creative Group work with?
They primarily work with clients in the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, finance and insurance industries
What services does Creative Group offer?
Strategic sourcing and contract negotiations, corporate events management, logistics planning and onsite execution, gifts and amenities, registration and attendee management, supplier management
What destinations has Creative Group hosted incentives in?
Scotland, Machu Picchu, Monaco, France, Italy, Cabo San Lucas
9. CIRE Travel
CIRE Travel has experience with arranging incentive trip itineraries personalized to the group or the individual, and they do it all using their A-list connections and VIP access.
They help their clients plan exceptional, concierge-style incentive trips and business travel for employees who seek a luxury experience. Destination management companies like CIRE Travel believe that to be a true reward, your incentive program has to go beyond the typical vacation.
Headquarters: New York, New York
Instagram: ciretravel
LinkedIn: CIRE Travel
What clients does CIRE Travel work with?
Their clients are entrepreneurs and small to mid-sized businesses across all industries.
What services does CIRE Travel offer?
Destination selection, air travel management, budgeting assistance, ground transportation, accommodations, entertainment and activities, arrival and departure manifests
What destinations has CIRE Travel hosted incentive programs in?
Cancun, Banff, Italy, Germany, Belize
10. Cadence Travel
Cadence is an award-winning, internationally recognized travel management company, providing a selection of travel planning services to meet your specific needs.
They enjoy helping companies choose unique destinations that match their brand personality and goals. Cadence designs incentive travel programs that help reward employee performance and build a stronger culture for your business.
Headquarters: San Diego, California
Instagram: cadencetravel
LinkedIn: CADENCE
What clients does Cadence work with?
Cadence works with many Fortune 500 companies and other corporate groups as small as 20 people to as large as 500 people.
What services does Cadence offer?
Full-service program management, group incentive travel, hotel sourcing, negotiating and contracting, attendee management, group air management, and on-site staffing
What destinations has Cadence hosted group incentive travel programs in?
Park City, Lake Tahoe, Cabo San Lucas, Paris, China, Croatia, Hawaii, Germany
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an incentive travel company?
An incentive travel company specializes in planning and managing travel experiences as rewards or incentives for employees, clients, or partners of businesses.
Incentive travel companies have the expertise to assist you in selecting the perfect destination, venue, and activities while managing all the logistic aspects of your incentive trips.
For more information, read our blog detailing what an incentive travel company is and how they can help you manage every aspect of your trip.
What services do incentive travel companies offer?
Incentive travel companies offer a wide range of services to facilitate the planning and execution of incentive travel programs. Some of these incentive travel services include:
- Strategy
- Destination research and selection
- Venue selection
- Hotel negotiations
- Logistics management (air travel, activities, food and beverage)
- Itinerary planning
- Budget management
- Attendee experience
- On-site management
(Photo from an incentive trip GoGather managed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)
What are the benefits of using an incentive travel agency?
Retaining talented employees was a primary reason behind incentive travel’s strategic importance, according to 90% of respondents in the 2023 Incentive Research Foundation's Travel Index
Using an incentive travel company offers numerous benefits for companies looking to reward or motivate their top performers, sales teams, employees, clients, or partners. Some of the key benefits of partnering with incentive travel companies include:
- Expertise and experience
- Time and resource savings
- Access to exclusive destinations and experiences
- Cost savings
- Risk mitigation/ risk management
- Enhanced brand reputation
- Memorable experiences
- Improved retention among top employees
- Flight reservations/ transportation companies management
For more information on incentive programs, read our blog highlighting all the benefits of group travel and corporate incentive trips in motivating your employees and beyond.
What is the difference between incentive travel and travel incentives?
Incentive travel is a type of reward program that is used to motivate and reward employees, partners, or customers for hitting certain goals. These are typically high-end, all-inclusive experiences that include airfare, accommodations, food, and experiences.
Travel incentives are rewards that are given to employees, partners, or customers for achieving certain objectives. These may include hotel nights or airfare tickets that can be used for group travel-related expenses.
According to the Incentive Research Foundation, the use of gift cards in incentive and reward programs will see a net increase in 2024 spending of 42% in North America and 37% in Europe.
Learn more about the difference between incentive travel and travel incentives in our blog.
(Photo from an incentive trip GoGather managed in Mallorca, Spain)
Ready to Plan Your Next Event?
GoGather provides comprehensive management services for all kinds of incentive travel programs, whether you are planning a one-time trip for your top performers, corporate meeting, or annual events. By becoming a valuable extension of your team, GoGather can help you create impactful experiences for your team that are remembered for years to come. Researching incentive travel companies? Let’s brainstorm your next trip together.
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