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Travel Incentives

Volcanoes & Vodka: Group Incentive Activities on Maui

Kayaking activity on Maui's South Side!

While the Hawaiian Islands are perhaps most famous for our beautiful beaches, we offer a stunning array of group incentive activities that roam from sea level to 10,000′ in the sky!

For a recent international sales group, we planned a Haleakala Volcano Crater visit (b-u-u-r-r-r, it’s cold up there!) followed by a warm picnic lunch aka gourmet bento box, at the Ocean Vodka organic farm with a private tour of the amazing facility. Temperatures regularly hover in the 40’s and 50’s up at the the top of Haleakala Crater. So the contrast of coming back down and basking in the sunshine with island-wide views makes both parts of this day’s activities feel even more special. The contrast is what offers such a dramatic experience!

Maui offers many stunning farm tours. Being an island very much committed to sustainability, it’s possible here to learn about things most urban dwellers rarely or never experience. Plus, you can count on Maui to add our special extra twist, whether it is organic farming or growing exotic floral varietals or boasting a location with stunning views both close up and for hundreds of miles.

Tips for Group Incentive Activities

  • Leave the beach! A diverse array of experiences await you all over each of our islands. While everyone loves the white sandy beach and the pool attendant, there is so much more to see and do here!
  • Utilize your DMC and expose your guests to new and unexpected ideas or areas that they would not find on their own.
  • Consider contrast. The Hawaiian Islands offer sea level to 12,000′ and temperatures from the 90’s to the teens on any given day. We also offer diverse experiences relating to sustainability, the natural environment, medicines ( both modern and natural).
  • Dig in: Farm tours are one of many examples where you and your guests can interact with local culture in authentic, hands-on ways. while learning and having fun – Island Events can even make them into CSR or team building events for you!
  • Know your guests: if there is a particular demographic of your guests tell your DMC about them and allow them the  opportunity to develop an agenda that speaks to the interests of those guests. The Ocean Vodka farm was a hug hit with this group of international 40-somethings but might not have worked for a church group or college students!

Ultimately you will be adding value to your guests stay by adding the unexpected and offering some interactive group experiences.

Adding Health & Wellness to Your Hawaii Incentive Program!

As a DMC in Hawaii, we are fortunate to live and work in “paradise.” When we are not hard at work event planning, creating exciting activities, and managing arrivals & departure manifests, we too are enjoying the health benefits of Hawaii. Not only does Hawaii offer an exotic destination within the US, it also offers unique and diverse health and wellness opportunities.

For many high achievers, being part of an incentive program that includes a winner’s trip to Hawaii means working hard to reach corporate targets. Some may miss meals, family time, daylight, and exercise - all in pursuit of the amazing incentive trip! But missing these things takes a toll on one’s health. Why not use your incentive trip to help your guests re-connect with a healthy lifestyle?

The key to enjoying one’s health is partially based on customizing experiences to the individual. Make it a fun and experiential part of their lives, and they will embrace it!

Island Events Recommends These Health & Wellness HINTs: 

Time: offer your attendees a commitment of time and facilities on the incentive trip to be healthier and active right here in Hawaii! 

Diversity: Offer all types of exercise and offer some ways for guests to rejuvenate such as yoga or meditation classes - maybe on the beach at sunrise. 

Create a daily FUN and FREE exercise option. Offer this for all attendees and make them fun! Vary the exercise level and intensity so everyone can find an appropriate, enjoyable option. Offer exclusive group activities such as Kayaking and individual activities such as personal trainers & fitness evaluations with certified trainers.  

Check in with the Resort: your host resort may already have some wonderful on property options for you - if not, let us know and we can create some! 

ATV in the breathtaking island valleys

Kayak through rich blue waters

Kayak through rich blue waters

Horse back riding by the Ocean

Waterfall repel down island jungle

Waterfall repel down island jungle

Returning to Hawaii with an Annual Incentive Program?

There’s no need for “Been there, done that!”

For so many reasons, Hawaii is consistently rated as one of the top destinations for incentive programs in the world. It could be the weather, the tropical locations, or the people and the spirit of aloha. Most likely, it is all of the above , but what do you do, as a planner, when you must bringing your top performers back to Hawaii year after year? 

How do you continue to provide new and exciting elements while staying in budget and not duplicating previous programs?

As one of the most sought after destination management companies (DMC) in the state, Island Events operates a high number of repeat programs every year with great success. Here are some of the keys to our success:

Embrace Mother Nature

We have learned to capitalize on the many ways that Mother Nature continues to bless our islands. Each island has so many fantastic outdoor activities that can be safely done by diverse groups. There’s no reason to repeat anything!
As a certified DMCP, we tirelessly vet all activities and have learned the details that will make a difference - so we can pass them onto you. A few examples include:

  • Knowing where the best deep sea fishing spots are
  • When the peak of whale season is and where best to see them
  • When not to go waterfall rappelling
  • How to dress for sunrise at Haleakala Volcano
  • When a full moon will add the best lighting and how to design it into your evening events

Offer Interpretations of “Iconic Hawaii”

Every group wants to have some iconic elements of Hawaii included as part of their program. But as a planner, you don’t want to duplicate the experience for what could potentially be the same guests each year. As it relates to evening event design, we refer to this practice as offering “Luau #7 with a side order of fire dance” – or offering the same performance to everyone all the time. As great as that luau may be, this duplication will fast become a less memorable experience for your guests.

Instead we offer a customized “Polynesian Experience” that can change story line - perhaps incorporate aerialists or acrobatics or female fire dancers – all with a Polynesian flair. We guarantee you a new, fresh, and exciting interpretation on the iconic Hawaiian experience.

Keep Good Records

It sounds simple, but as a DMC, we keep great records for our clients. We track what our group guests do, what they liked, disliked or loved doing on their incentive program in Hawaii.
From direct guest feedback, to behaviors such as sending emails during the grand finale set, we notice these details which is very important to the returning client. Our record-keeping allows us to create a personalized program for your group, incorporating the best parts of last year’s trip combined with new and exciting, and relevant elements. This practice also allows us to be knowledgeable when working with new clients, to be able to speak with experience about the pros and cons of every element of a program.

 
 

When you least expect it … expect it!

As a luxury focused DMC we recognize that life is a collection of experiences. We are in the business of creating experiences. Taking the day-to-day trappings of life and adding a bit of a spin to them is what keeps things fresh. Part of building any experience is playing on the element of surprise. 

One of our favorite recurring expressions from guests is “Wow, I did not see that coming!”

How do we do this you ask? By incorporating some unexpected elements that evoke a sense of awe and what we call “goose-bump moments” into our clients programs. Some of our more memorable surprises have been:

  • A snow storm at an evening event to announce next year’s venue!
  • Champagne after a private horseback ride (a favorite)
  • Elvis singing Blue Hawaii while arriving by outrigger canoe to your gourmet dinner on one of Hawaii’s only “private” beaches!

If we can help make your first or your returning Incentive program in Hawaii a huge success, please let us know! A free consultation is just a phone call away. 

Contact us to schedule a time to talk about your upcoming!

Not Just Another Hawaiian Luau!

We recently received a glowing letter from a valued client for whom we produced a five-day full incentive program on the island of Maui. We managed their arrivals, departures, hospitality desk and activities – but it was the evening events that stole the show!

The incentive program was actually a repeat Hawaii experience for many of the guests – but their first “Island Events Experience”.

Because many guests were returning visitors, we wanted to create island-inspired programs that spoke to the sense of place, yet were unique and created “a first” for these well-traveled guests.

Our tiki-inspired Welcome Party was a huge hit – just the right amount of Hawaiiana and kitsch to say “ALOHA.” But we wanted to make sure their final night was not "just another luau in Hawaii.”

Our final night, a Vegas-inspired setting, was held at “Tsunami’s” night club (now defunct) and featured an Elvis Presley impersonator (circa 1966 in Blue Hawaii) with live show girls! This cultural crossover provided hours of light-hearted, entertaining fun and most definitely not your average luau!