CSR is increasingly at the heart of incentive travel programmes and destinations , often , are selected on the basis of the contribution or legacy that the corporation can leave behind .

This is clearly an unintended consequence , perhaps another example of economist Adam Smith ’ s “ invisible hand ,” where , in seeking only financial gain , a company is led by an invisible hand to promote “ an end which was not part of its intention ”, ie , corporate collegiality , engagement , brand equity , culture and so on .

Judging by the responses to the last edition of ITII ( 2020 ), corporations are now actively prioritising these intangible outcomes and altering the design of the incentive programme so as to foster what previously happened by chance , serendipitously .

Right : Tangible experiences promote intangible outcomes

Below : Bucket list experiences lead the way

Transformative for destinations

Corporate excess , extravagance and conspicuous consumption has been called out constantly over the years and , as a result , even in the noughties , there was a proliferation of corporate social responsibility ( CSR ) outreach . This , too , impacted on incentive travel and , in fairness , if there were orphanages needing a lick of paint or a playground , then corporations were delighted to mobilise the troops and do the decent thing .

I remember spending a day with Arthur Andersen ( UK ) at Barretstown Castle near Dublin where Paul Newman ’ s Hole in the Wall Gang had a facility for sick children . I think it was the late 1990s . Not an inch of the place went unpainted .

While this type of activity was worthwhile , worthy and noble , there was an ever so slight whiff of insincerity about it as it was all once-off , the CSR version of green washing .

Fast forward to 2021 and we ’ re in a

much different situation . Corporate hypocrisy is called out within a nano-second of it expressing itself and corporations go deeper now . CSR is very much front and centre in relation to EDI - equity , diversity , inclusion - a core area of concern for all global behemoths .

CSR is increasingly at the heart of incentive travel programmes and destinations , often , are selected on the basis of the contribution or legacy that the corporation can leave behind , post trip . According to ITII 2020 this will be even more accelerated in a post pandemic era with the top four elements defining success for future programmes ranked as 1 . Bucket List Experiences 2 . CSR 3 . Wellness and 4 . Cultural Experiences .

All ’ s changed , changed utterly

Yeats ’ s immortal lines have been quoted extensively since the pandemic stole our meal ticket over a year ago . However , in relation to incentive travel the utter change is good change , transformative change and I ’ m so looking forward to getting that meal ticket back and joining Willie Nelson on the road again !