The demand is growing for incentive trips to go beyond the ordinary and become highly curated, culturally immersive experiences. Photo courtesy of Brigade Events

Post-pandemic, corporations have embraced extravagant incentive “wow factor” events and travel experiences. More than simply fancy lodging, today’s extravagant incentive trips are featuring once-in-a-lifetime experiences that provide lifelong memories and brag-worthy social media posts. From staying in luxurious hotels to enjoying private yacht charters with Michelin-level chefs to spa buyouts with floating sound baths, to private beachfront concerts with A-list performers, the sky is the limit when it comes to extravagant corporate incentive trips.

Trends to Notice

Corporate incentive travel has transformed from a reward trip to a more personalized, immersive experience. Companies are seeking experiences that feel once-in-a-lifetime as opposed to merely luxurious. Julie Blank, director of strategic accounts at Brightspot Incentives & Events, says her team is seeing a strong emphasis on “bucket list” moments tied to the destination itself, like skiing legendary Colorado terrain in the winter with private access or guides or enjoying private outdoor concerts in the summer. The focus seems to be less about extravagance and more about meaning and memory.

“We’re seeing corporations lean into experiences that feel once-in-a-lifetime,” says April Zorsky, partner and chief creative officer of Brigade Events. “This includes full property buyouts, highly produced multi-day journeys and itineraries that blend business milestones with luxury hospitality. What’s evolved is the expectation. Incentive trips are no longer about just rewarding top performers with a beach stay. They’re designed to immerse attendees in culture and reinforce the company’s brand values. Think private concerts, behind-the-scenes access or sustainability-minded luxury adventures.”

Zorsky says extravagance today is less about opulence and more about access and transformation. She’s seeing a growing demand for highly curated, culturally immersive experiences that take guests far beyond the typical incentive trip.

For example, Zorsky recently produced an unforgettable incentive program for 16 couples across three iconic Italian cities. The theme centered on three pillars of Italian culture: food, fashion and fun.

The opening day in Milan was all about fashion. Guests enjoyed private fittings for custom-made jackets. Days later, those jackets were delivered to another city, where attendees wore them to a private dinner and concert. Later that evening, attendees had cocktails and an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of one of Italy’s premier designer ateliers, offering rare access to the brand’s most coveted pieces. The evening culminated with dinner at the Armani Hotel, overlooking the Duomo, a moment that felt cinematic in its layering of exclusive experiences.

“It was a day that built from one “wow” moment to the next, each one inaccessible to the average traveler,” Zorsky says.

Back in the U.S., the Brigade Events team has designed immersive touchpoints like a private whiskey tasting at Whiskey Thief Distilling in Kentucky, where attendees experienced the journey “from barrel to bottle.”

“In Mexico, we took attendees from a custom boot bar to a city tour on horseback, with stops at historic cantinas for an ice-cold cerveza and authentic cultural insights,” Zorsky says. “Activities like these go beyond entertainment, they create connective moments that bond teams and leave a lasting impression.”

As co-founder and CEO of Inspired Travel Group, Danielle Riddle has planned incentive trips for companies throughout the U.S., Canada and across the globe. She has seen firsthand how corporate incentive travel has evolved beyond those standard “sun and sand” packages into extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Over the past few years, Riddle says corporate incentive trips have really moved beyond the traditional resort stay model.

“Companies are looking for ways to create experiences that feel once in a lifetime, whether that’s exclusive access to a cultural landmark, a private performance, a private, fully serviced luxury villa or a culinary experience that can’t be booked on OpenTable,” Riddle says. The emphasis now is on personalization and creating shared moments that bond teams together — not just rewarding performance, but strengthening loyalty and connection.

“Today, we’re seeing top-performing employees getting rewarded with everything from yacht charters in the Mediterranean to private cultural immersions in Kyoto,” Riddle says. “Companies are recognizing that meaningful, unforgettable travel experiences drive deeper loyalty, engagement and performance than a simple bonus check ever could.”

When curating these elevated incentive programs, Riddle and her team are seeing clear trends emerge:

• Personalization & exclusivity: Bespoke itineraries tailored to the individual achievers rather than cookie-cutter group or team trips
• Adrenaline meets luxury: Pairing high-adventure activities (safaris, glacier trekking, etc.) with ultra-luxury accommodations and services
• Wellness & sustainability: Integrating wellness retreats and eco-conscious experiences to align with corporate values
• “Instagrammable” moments: Trips designed with shareable wow-factors that amplify work culture online

“We’ve noticed a real shift in what companies want from incentive trips. It’s less about all-inclusive hotels and room upgrades, and more about giving people those ‘bucket list’ moments they’ll talk about for the rest of their lives. When teams share something truly extraordinary together, it creates a bond that a bonus just simply can’t replicate,” Riddle says.

One recent program Riddle put together was at the Rosewood Kona Village on Hawaii’s Big Island, set right along the lava fields with traditional hale-style bungalows that feel deeply connected to Hawaiian culture.

“The group did a private night swim with manta rays, which is absolutely magical. We also arranged a helicopter flight over the island’s active volcanoes, with a private landing at a hidden waterfall for a champagne toast,” Riddle says. “Pair that with ocean-to-table dining and sunrise canoe paddling organized by the resort, and it really became something that felt both luxurious and authentic.”

Inspired by Dia de los Muertos and the James Bond film “Spectre,” Brigade Events created a sense of mystery at this event in Mexico. Photo courtesy of Israel Palacios /@israhyperactif

Another corporate incentive trip that Riddle planned took place at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Thailand. Imagine luxury tents overlooking the jungle where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar all meet.

“It’s one of those places you can’t forget once you’ve been,” Riddle says. ‘The team spent time with rescued elephants, went on long-tail boat rides along the Mekong River and hiked through the jungle to a picnic at sunset. At night, they’d gather around the campfire for storytelling dinners. It was adventurous, but it also had this grounding, meaningful quality that made people feel closer to each other.”

As Riddle explains, trips like these aren’t just perks. They’re about connection, belonging and creating memories that keep people engaged and proud to be part of their company.

“That’s the real power of incentive travel right now,” Riddle says. Garrett Peterson, senior director of marketing & Product at The Creative Group, says exotic, long-haul destinations are in demand.

“Programs are pushing to long-haul luxury locales. We see clients moving their incentives to places like Morocco and Japan, where they can deliver that ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ factor that top performers crave,” Peterson says. “It’s about one destination, deeper immersion. Instead of moving between multiple hotels or cities, we see our clients now preferring to anchor in one luxury property and explore through curated day trips. It allows for richer experiences without fatiguing the attendees with constant transfers.”

Peterson says hyper-personalization is key. From executives personally flying in to surprise every winner with an in-person announcement to seven-day, fully curated experiences in one destination, tailoring every detail to the individual is slowly becoming the ultimate marker of luxury.

Some of the more popular activities Peterson has seen in high-end incentive trips over the past few years include:

• Luxury retail takeovers. Private store openings and personalized gifting afternoons create exclusivity and prestige.
• Hyper-personalized end-to-end events and experiences. For one luxury automotive client, every element (from five-star accommodations to dining and excursions) was tailored to each individual or couple’s preferences. Though the program took place in a single destination, every attendee enjoyed a uniquely curated journey.
• High-energy road rally/driving adventures. Recent programs have included SUVs off-roading in Whistler, Jeep rallies to paniolo ranches on the Big Island (with Kona coffee and cultural stops), racing supercars in Las Vegas and classic car drives through Provence for a Michelin-starred lunch.

One of the biggest challenges Peterson faces when planning extravagant corporate incentive trips is managing expectations with flat budgets. Inflation plus static corporate allocations mean he is often balancing “extravagant” with “cost effective,” without diluting the attendee’s experience.

“Making ‘the right’ trade-offs that serve the overall experience is important,” Peterson says.

“Many programs also target elevated brand experience and target dealer or channel audiences; both flawless service and seamless brand infusion are non-negotiable.

“Designing incentive trips that authentically express the brand is an exciting challenge, but one that demands extreme intentionality and attention to detail,” Peterson says.

Making It Meaningful

Planning a high-end incentive trip is like staging a major theatrical production. Lead times are everything: it can often take up to a year and a half, as well as multiple site visits and an army of experts to get it right. From custom linens and production builds to booking A-list entertainment, if you don’t start six to 12 months out, it’s nearly impossible to deliver at the level these groups expect. I always encourage planners to do a pre-planning trip; walking the beach, meeting the chefs and purveyors and testing the watersports are some of the best ways to make sure every moment is curated perfectly for the group.

“The challenge is always in the details. Extravagant experiences often involve complex logistics, special permissions or unique venues, so planning has to be meticulous,” Riddle says. “Another layer is inclusivity; Not every executive wants to skydive or climb a mountain. The trick is building itineraries that balance adrenaline with alternatives that are equally memorable, so every participant feels comfortable, valued and part of the celebration.”

Riddle says it comes down to connection. Extravagance alone doesn’t create impact. It’s about weaving in personal touches and company values.

“That might mean having leadership share the story of why this reward matters, creating moments for genuine team bonding or including a purpose-driven element like a local give-back project,” Riddle says. “When people feel the experience was crafted with them in mind, it becomes much more than just a lavish trip. It becomes something they’re proud to have been part of.”

Blank says the biggest challenge seems to be the balance in the content between delivering wow-factor experiences that seem extravagant, while showing value and impact to leadership. Because incentive groups can often be 100+ attendees, there is a lot happening behind the scenes to pull off effortless experiences.

“Groups want branded moments, curated tracks so that attendees can choose their own adventure and experiences related to the company’s values,” Blank says.

Peterson recommends incentive meeting planners use data and attendee insights to anticipate needs, craft tailored moments and balance surprise with thoughtful communication.

Exotic destinations are in demand, such as The Creative Group Leaders Circle’s trip to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa.

Make People Feel Seen

“The most ‘extravagant’ thing is often the simplest. Ensure every touchpoint simply feels personal, human and deeply aligned to the individual,” Peterson says.

Erin Howe, CMP, meeting & event planner at The Howe Group, LLC, says companies are wanting to make their incentive trips more special. By that she means, adding personal touches based on the attendees’ likes and dislikes and choosing a destination that someone may not be able to travel to on their own.

“Add the personalized special touches. Maybe during an awards evening where they celebrate the winners, surprise them with a message from their family back home, praising their accomplishments,” Howe says. “Have their favorite food and beverage waiting for them in their room when they arrive. Anything that is personalized is meaningful.”

For Zorsky, the key to successful incentive travel experiences is personalization and storytelling. As she explains, extravagance on its own can feel hollow if it doesn’t connect back to the attendee’s effort and the company’s values.

“Curating moments where attendees feel both recognized and part of something bigger, whether that’s through intimate breakout dinners, giving back to the destination community or weaving in thoughtful touchpoints that reflect each guest’s preferences, turns extravagance into emotional impact,” Zorsky says.

The Future of Extravagance

What do corporate meeting planners envision the future holds for these types of incentive travel activities?

Riddle believes the extravagant corporate incentive travel industry will continue to see growth, but also evolution.

“More and more, companies view incentive travel as a strategic investment in culture and retention. I expect we’ll see greater emphasis on exclusivity and access, things you simply cannot replicate on your own, paired with a stronger focus on sustainability and wellness,” Riddle says. “The future is about experiences that are both extraordinary and responsible.”

At the end of the day, Riddle stresses that incentive travel isn’t just about rewarding success. It’s about creating moments that employees carry with them long after they’ve returned home — moments that remind them why they’re part of the organization and why their contribution matters. That’s what makes these programs so powerful when they’re done well.

“As competition for both talent and customer loyalty increases, we see brands continuing to invest in high-touch, high-impact incentive experiences,” Peterson says. “The bar for service, exclusivity and personalization will continue to rise, making these programs more integral than ever in strengthening relationships and driving performance.”

Zorsky believes the demand for extravagant incentive trips will only grow, especially as hybrid and remote work change how companies build culture.

“Incentive trips are becoming one of the few in-person moments that can truly unite teams and celebrate achievements in a memorable way,” Zorsky says. “The future isn’t just ‘bigger and flashier,’ it’s about creating transformational trips that are both extraordinary and aligned with the next generation’s values, rooted in sustainability, wellness and purpose-driven experiences.” C&IT