Incentive - January 2008 - (Page 55)

TRAVEL News Euro Averse The sliding dollar keeps travelers out of Europe T he American dollar’s value against other currencies recently hit an alltime low and continues to cause economic concerns. It is also causing Americans to rethink travel plans to some favorite destinations, where their dollars are not going nearly as far as they have in seasons past. Incentive travel planners are reporting a shift in where their clients are taking their groups, as they avoid overblown budgets. “We have very little in Europe right now,” says Michael Jordan, executive vice president of St. Louis–based Meridian Group Travel. “Basically all of our incentive groups and meetings are going to the United States or Caribbean or Mexico.” For groups determined to head to Paris or London for their programs, planners are finding ways to give clients euro quality on a dollar budget. To try to make the difficult exchange rate more manageable, European hotels and destination management companies are quoting the costs of the trips in dollars rather than euros or pounds, sometimes guaranteeing the room rates or setting the exchange rate years in advance. “Our clients still want to go to Europe and Canada,” says Lisa Loeffler, account service director in travel and event services for Minneapolis-based MotivAction. “When we go back to our clients then their budget is set, and they don’t have to worry about how the [fluctuating] exchange rate will affect their program.” Strong partnerships can serve as a major asset, where planners with relationships with various DMCs or hotels can call in favors— though Loeffler reports that one hotel MotivAction recently worked with for the first time was willing to work out arrangements for them. Planners are also finding ways to get more value on trips to keep them within budget. Offering half-day activities instead of full days, or staying on property for more of the program events are some ways planners are seeking to save money without compromising the quality of the program. And some groups that would like to go to Europe are considering cruises. “Everybody knows that the dollar’s weak,” says Walgren. “But until you see the hard numbers on the page, only then does it really sink in how great the difference is.” —Alex Palmer Royal Treatment Born and raised in Boston, Prince William Lobkowicz, direct descendent of a line of Bohemian rulers of a kingdom now part of the Czech Republic, has spent more than a decade reclaiming his family’s historical properties around Prague. To help fund the restoration and operation of these historical palaces, Lobkowicz in the early ’90s launched Lobkowicz Events Management, a Prague destination management company (DMC) specializing in American high-end groups. “We can open doors that others can’t,” Lobkowicz says, adding that his family’s Lobkowicz Palace and Nelahozeves Castle are both available for high-end dinners, themed events, or other tailor-made Where Are We? Do you recognize this destination? E-mail incentivemag@nielsen.com with your answer, and be entered into a drawing for a $100 Marriott travel card. activities. Renovations on Nelahozeves Castle were completed this year, with a new installation, “Private Spaces: A Noble Family at Home,” now in place. Prague’s airport, Ruzyne International, offers direct connections from New York and Atlanta. Once in country, groups are within a three- to five-hour drive to multiple European metropolises. “It’s got the romance of Paris in the 1930s,” Lobkowicz says. “People are just now finding out about Prague.” Beyond gaining access to royal properties, American incentive groups that book programs through his DMC, Lobkowicz says, are “becoming a part of the restoration of history,” as the profits of the DMC go toward the preservation of his family’s homeland heritage. —Corrie Dosh incentivemag.com | January 2008 | Incentive | 55 http://incentivemag.com

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Incentive - January 2008 Contents Editor’s Note: Out of SITE In The News Cover Story: Include a Meeting, Improve Morale Case Study: DHL Delivers Recognition Incentive Primer: How To Use Promo Products How Bob Nardelli Rallied Chrysler’s Dealers Incentive Interview: Ken Blanchard Says Be Nice TV’s Extreme Makeover Motivates Giving Pre-Employment Motivation The Daycare Dilemma Happy Employees Shouldn’t Mix with Sick Employees Incentive Research: Consumer Promotions Report In Her Shoes: Winning Approval Of Flextime Travel News Field Report: Barcelona Field Report: Bermuda Golf: Follow The Pros potentials Here and Now Watches As Jewelry Awards: Online Gift Cards Tech Gadgets for 2008 Last Word: Stanley Bing Bashes Bully Bosses

Incentive - January 2008

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