Incentive Travel Companies in Europe

What a DMC brings to incentive programs

These are not holiday trips; incentive travel is a carefully designed program which aims to obtain a measurable impact for the company that offers it. Choosing the right Destination Management Company ensures that the program will meet the standards defined by the Society for Incentive Excellence (SITE):

Overall design: Welcome dinners, group activities, gala evenings and award ceremonies are planned in the itinerary with clear missions. The DMC will even allot free time within a coherent structure.
Exclusive access: Going beyond regular experiences gives incentive trips a unique touch. Private museum openings, vineyard takeovers, helicopter transfers, chef's-table dinners… DMCs can unlock more experiences than what money alone can buy.
Group logistics: Whether the group has 20 or 500 participants, DMCs can handle it with style. Everyone will enjoy experiences such as "meet & greet" at the airport, rooming lists, luggage handling, private transfers, and full attention to any dietary requirements.
Budget management: DMCs always work within the budget the company sets per person for the trip. That is accomplished thanks to a vast network of contacts who can help with local suppliers, VAT recovery, and providing transparent cost breakdowns.
Destination expertise: Which hotel is under renovation? Which restaurant has just hired a new chef? Which ferry runs late in October? DMCs know all such details, which means they will know how to prevent any issues that could affect your itinerary.

Corporate incentive travel gala dinner in a historic European venue

Matching the destination to the incentive brief

Different company cultures and program goals call for different European destinations. A DMC matches the destination to the brief:

Mediterranean: Italy, Spain, Greece and Croatia offer warm-weather reward trips — wine and cuisine tours, the coastlines of Amalfi and Dalmatia, the islands of Santorini and Ibiza, and a spirited culture.
Alpine: Austria, France and Switzerland reward travelers with snow sports, mountain-lodge experiences, and many other group adventures that could only happen in the peak of winter.
Nordic: Finland, Iceland and Norway deliver once-in-a-lifetime programs. Northern Lights, midnight sun and Arctic landscapes make any gathering exclusive.
City-based: Shorter trips (around 3 days) will benefit from focusing on one city, like Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon or Prague. The group will be able to enjoy the best of its energy, gastronomy, and nightlife.
Islands: Mallorca, Madeira, Sardinia and the Greek islands offer the option of a full buyout, which enables your team to forget about distractions and enjoy island hopping, private catamaran days, and coastal excursions.

Most incentive DMCs operate nationally but specialize in one region. Browse by country to find the right match.

Aerial view of the Amalfi Coast for incentive travel programs in Italy

Typical incentive program types

Four program formats account for most incentive travel booked through European DMCs:

Sales incentives: Reward trips for top salespeople who met their qualification criteria. They last 3 to 5 days, run annually, and rotate destinations. The groups range from 50 to 200 travelers.
President's Club or Chairman's Club: Top-tier employee recognition. These trips are usually booked with higher budgets and, as a consequence, are offered to much smaller groups (20 to 40 people).
Dealer/distributor incentives: Cases where the manufacturer rewards its distribution partners. In this case, it is common for the trip invitation to be extended to the travelers' spouses.
Team offsites and corporate retreats: Leadership teams of between 10 and 30 people. The trip usually combines strategy sessions with bonding activities, such as Food and Wine tours or CSR experiences, and spend most of the time on working sessions rather than gala events.

If you are looking for programs that combine incentive travel with conference or meeting elements, see our MICE companies page. For programs that blend incentive travel with brand activations, browse our Corporate Events page.

VIP group wine tasting in a European cellar during an incentive travel program

Incentive Travel DMC Companies in Europe

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What a DMC brings to incentive programs

Matching the destination to the incentive brief

Typical incentive program types

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