Incentive - February 2009 - (Page 62)

AWARDS Still a Top Choice As budgets decrease, gift cards are stepping in to offer flexible rewards By Alex Palmer W hile companies cut back on their recognition budgets, the flexibility of gift cards may be making them a go-to award for planners looking to keep costs down or rethink their programs. This might seem surprising, considering that we reported this month that holiday gift card sales fell for the first time in years, according to research firm TowerGroup. But suppliers to the incentive market have seen only a modest impact, if any at all. “To be very frank, I’m not seeing any issues with the gift cards,” says Robert Ward, director of sales for Ovation Rewards, the gift certificate program for Fairmont-Raffles properties. “Obviously there’s been some things in the news, but it hasn’t affected us whatsoever.” Ward has actually seen new business come in from companies that did not necessarily have incentive plans in the past, 62 | Incentive | February 2009 | incentivemag.com http://www.incentivemag.com Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - February 2009Incentive - February 2009ContentsEditor's NoteHeadlinesThe Incentive Survival Guide to 2009Strategies: Nature vs. NurtureStrategies: Thank God for the RecessionResearch: Industry Trends 2009Travel News: Where To Go and What To DoTravel Strategies: Make It WorkLas Vegas: Changing FortunesPotentials Here and NowMerchandise Strategies: Success in Small StepsThe Economy's Down; You Don't Have to BeGift Cards Strategies: Flexibility Is the WordAdvertiser IndexOn the WebIncentive - February 2009Incentive - February 2009 - Incentive - February 2009 (Page Cover1)Incentive - February 2009 - Incentive - February 2009 (Page Cover2)Incentive - February 2009 - Incentive - February 2009 (Page 3)Incentive - February 2009 - Incentive - February 2009 (Page 4)Incentive - February 2009 - Incentive - February 2009 (Page 5)Incentive - February 2009 - Contents (Page 6)Incentive - February 2009 - Contents (Page 7)Incentive - February 2009 - Editor's Note (Page 8)Incentive - February 2009 - Editor's Note (Page 9)Incentive - February 2009 - Editor's Note (Page 10)Incentive - February 2009 - Headlines (Page 11)Incentive - February 2009 - Headlines (Page 12)Incentive - February 2009 - Headlines (Page 13)Incentive - February 2009 - Headlines (Page 14)Incentive - February 2009 - Headlines (Page 15)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 16)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 17)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 18)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 19)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 20)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 21)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 22)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 23)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 24)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 25)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 26)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 27)Incentive - February 2009 - The Incentive Survival Guide to 2009 (Page 28)Incentive - February 2009 - Strategies: Nature vs. Nurture (Page 29)Incentive - February 2009 - Strategies: Thank God for the Recession (Page 30)Incentive - February 2009 - Strategies: Thank God for the Recession (Page 31)Incentive - February 2009 - Research: Industry Trends 2009 (Page 32)Incentive - February 2009 - Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do (Page 33)Incentive - February 2009 - Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do (Page 34)Incentive - February 2009 - Travel Strategies: Make It Work (Page 35)Incentive - February 2009 - Travel Strategies: Make It Work (Page 36)Incentive - February 2009 - Travel Strategies: Make It Work (Page 37)Incentive - February 2009 - Travel Strategies: Make It Work (Page 38)Incentive - February 2009 - Las Vegas: Changing Fortunes (Page 39)Incentive - February 2009 - Las Vegas: Changing Fortunes (Page 40)Incentive - February 2009 - Las Vegas: Changing Fortunes (Page 41)Incentive - February 2009 - Potentials Here and Now (Page 42)Incentive - February 2009 - Potentials Here and Now (Page 43)Incentive - February 2009 - Merchandise Strategies: Success in Small Steps (Page 44)Incentive - February 2009 - Merchandise Strategies: Success in Small Steps (Page 45)Incentive - February 2009 - Merchandise Strategies: Success in Small Steps (Page 46)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 47)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 48)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 49)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 50)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 51)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 52)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 53)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 54)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 55)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 56)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 57)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 58)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 59)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 60)Incentive - February 2009 - The Economy's Down; You Don't Have to Be (Page 61)Incentive - February 2009 - Gift Cards Strategies: Flexibility Is the Word (Page 62)Incentive - February 2009 - Gift Cards Strategies: Flexibility Is the Word (Page 63)Incentive - February 2009 - Gift Cards Strategies: Flexibility Is the Word (Page 64)Incentive - February 2009 - Advertiser Index (Page 65)Incentive - February 2009 - On the Web (Page 66)Incentive - February 2009 - On the Web (Page Cover3)Incentive - February 2009 - On the Web (Page Cover4)http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200911http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200910http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200909http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200908http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200906http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200905http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200904http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200902http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200901http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200812http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200811http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200810http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200809http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200808http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200807http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200806http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200805http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200804http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200803http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200802http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200801http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/incentive_200712http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com

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