Companies usually offer incentive tours to reward staff for their excellent performances, or to clients in appreciation of their contribution to business growth. These group tours often feature different themes and also cater to spouses and family members. These tours are related to the choice of destination. The more colour and variety a country offers, the more popular it will be.
Singapore is one of the most popular cities for incentive tours. In 2006, of the 9.7million visitor arrivals, 28 per cent were business travellers, and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) visitors; 35 per cent of its S$12.4billion (HK$69.62 billion) tourism income came from these arrivals. The country targets the income to increase to S$10.5billion by 2015, 30 per cent of the total forecast of S$30billion tourism income.
Ellen Wong Man-see, area director for Hong Kong and Macau for the Singapore Tourism Board, said the key factor contributing to its success was the strong support from the government and close co-operation with event planners and hotel operators.
In 2006, the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau, a group under the Singapore Tourism Board, launched a series of initiatives to boost the MICE industry by committing S$170million to finance business development events.
It also introduced 'BE (Business Events) in Singapore', a comprehensive scheme to support the industry needs with the aim of attracting, creating and strengthening MICE events. For example, Ms Wong said: 'For a corporate meeting and incentive group travel tour, groups of at least 150 visitors can enjoy a lively cultural welcome performance. As the group size increases, we can offer special experiences, which vary from cultural and team-building activities to themed exclusive dinners.
'We always check with the corporate clients to get to know their objectives and the theme of the event, and we will propose ideas on the entertainment and incentives that suit their needs.'