Incentive - June 2008 - (Page 72)

COOK ISLANDS Island Night at Crown Beach Resort showcases dancing and drumming by islanders of all ages TRAVEL A beachside dinner is one way to make a delicious meal even more memorable Travelers are greeted by a juice blend or coconut milk (still in the coconut) on arrival to one of the Cooks’ luxury resorts The Pacific’s Hidden Treasure The Cook Islands’ adventure and luxury make it an ideal destination By Alex Palmer O 72 | Incentive ne of the first responses you will likely get when telling someone you just returned from the Cook Islands will be an initial “Wow,” then the question, “So where are those exactly?” This gorgeous destination remains a mystery to American travelers, who may know about Captain Cook’s exploration of the islands or the role they played in Mutiny on the Bounty, but not a lot else. That’s just what Gabriel Haigazian, vice president of Woodland Hills, Calif.–based Creative Travel Planners, liked about these South Pacific islands, located just east of Tahiti. Planning a pair of recent trips to Rarotonga and Aitutaki for a San Francisco– and Los Angeles–based radio station, Haigazian himself had never actually been to the islands when he booked the programs. | June 2008 | incentivemag.com In fact, he had only recently learned about their offerings to incentive groups while speaking to a representative from the islands at a trade show. Seeing photographs of the textured blue lagoons, and hearing about the adventure experiences and top-notch luxury accommodations the Cooks could provide, he was ready to plan a program there, sight unseen (which he describes as all but unheard of for the company). “When you put out a destination that people have to stop and scratch their heads and say, ‘Where exactly is this place?’ you’re setting them up for a totally unique program,” says Haigazian. Hosting the principals of advertising companies who work with the stations, Haigazian wanted to offer a location that felt a little more special than the better-known resort islands. Working closely with destination management company DMCK, a division of Turama Pacific Travel Group, Creative Travel Planners put together a wide-ranging program that was made all the more special for being the first American incentive program to take place on the Cook Islands. Though in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands is a self-governing democracy—and far enough northeast that travelers coming from America do not cross the international dateline as they do going to New Zealand (which controls foreign affairs and defense). It is a mere ninehour flight from Los Angeles International Airport, and the time is only two or three hours ahead of Los Angeles, depending on the season. With nonstop flights leaving there from LAX once a week on Air New Zealand, it’s easier than ever to get to this fascinating land. http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - June 2008

Incentive - June 2008 Contents Editor’s Note In The News Cover Story: Seventh Annual Industry Roundtable Incentive Interview Case Study Soft Incentives Empowerment and Engagement The Incentive Career Incentive Primer Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do The Cook Islands Field Report: Bermuda Potentials: Here and Now 50 Top Motivators: The Best of the Best Electronics: High-end Audio Equipment Gift Cards: Should One Be Enough? Advertiser Index Off The Cuff

Incentive - June 2008

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