Raymond Desmet
President Initiative
Belgian Association of Qualified Incentive Organizers

An incentive trip is a complete and integral part of the marketing strategy of a company. This is why it deserves a special approach and an adapted budget where emphasis should be put on a personalized, see tailor made execution of the highest quality. Real incentive organizers therefore have to continually adapt their business plans, in other words no place here for ready made, of the shelf products as they are still proposed by a number of organizers. As the client and the incentive organizer enter into a highly involved collaboration agreement it is therefore a necessity that the organizer can submit the necessary guarantees towards original ideas, financial security and insurances.

Because of the economic situation, 2 clear management lines are defined: companies who are downsizing or try to keep a status quo, and those who see an opportunity in this crisis and launch new initiatives or elaborate the existing ones. This is also visible in their approach towards incentive travel: some keep tight budgets because of the economic situation or because of the negative connotation that seems to be growing around the organisation of ‘fun’ trips. It seems that companies do not dare show anymore that business is good or that they have worked out a marketing strategy that involves a number of ‘stimuli’. A number of companies however are now working on a clear marketing strategy to take them stronger and better out of the crisis. These are the clients incentive organizers have to aim for. The market shows us that smaller but well structured players can more easily adapt to new situations. Initiative stimulates therefore its members not to sit on its hands, to bring about the necessary cost cuts and by creating a strong trust relationship with the client to re-organize the existing relationships where necessary.
Trust has become a keyword. In these times of great insecurity, adventures are not advisable and it is necessary to show your clients, as a incentive organizer, that clients should and can trust you. Initiative underlines once more that its members all have a license which is for example also a guarantee against financial problems. Furthermore, they are all specialists in their trade who think together with the client, who identify totally with the situation of the client and from this point of view underline the positive factors which will contribute to a faster way out of the crisis.
 
In incentive travel the ‘out of the ordinary’ remains very important. However there is a clear movement from the more sporty ‘do’ activities to events with a more social character. Budgets are downsized but without suffering a loss in quality and aimed for goals. Inventiveness becomes – luckily – more and more important.

Most of our members do not foresee a cut in staff, but it goes without saying that the economic situation is followed closely and some of them have planned an evaluation of the situation for the month of June.

2010 looks slightly more hopeful as a number of budgets have been partially or wholly deferred till 2010. But nothing is sure and our members therefore are carefully optimistic.

In conclusion, following remark: I wish people would stop hammering on all the negative news….Each economic situation has its own opportunities, grab them and if they do not present themselves, create them!