Incentive - August 2008 - (Page 50)

TRAVEL Ahhh Amalfi The world’s most bellissima coast By Maryann Hammers taly’s Amalfi Coast may not be the first place that comes to mind for an incentive trip. There’s no championship golf, no large chain hotels, no mega-spas, no allinclusive resorts. But the region more than compensates with classic appeal. Colorful centuries-old villas with terraced gardens are tucked into seaside precipices, and the famous Amalfi Drive twists its way past citrus orchards, vineyards and dramatic cliffs rising from the brilliant blue sea, as it connects small villages like pearls on a tangled chain. “From a planner’s perspective, you can’t go wrong,” says Brad Frick, principal with Edward Jones, which takes 80,000 financial advisors on meeting and incentive trips every year. “We go all over Italy, but the Amalfi Coast is especially breathtaking, with quaint towns, beautiful jagged coast, and charming shops and restaurants in little alleys. “There’s so much to see and do,” Frick adds. “We offer tour guides and optional bus excursions to places like Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. And we offer train passes for our The 48-room Hotel Caruso, overlooking the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, is ideal for smaller incentive groups that want a truly five-star experience I more seasoned travelers, who prefer to explore on their own. It’s pretty easy to get around.” Sorrento, which overlooks the Bay of Naples, is many planners’ first choice as a base for an Amalfi Coast trip. An easy drive from Naples, the sunny, relaxed town lures visitors with a palm-shaded piazza, flowers spilling over balconies, and cobbled streets lined by galleries, wine shops, ceramic Canada, Perry Group and Sterling Inc. “From here, it’s easy to hop on a hydrofoil—or arrange a yacht tour—for excursions to the islands of Capri or Ischia, and the archeological ruins of Pompeii and Herculeum are an hour’s drive away.” Sorrento offers a choice of hotels, from intimate villas to luxury properties, such as the 116-room Imperial Hotel Tramontano, “We offer [less seasoned travelers] tour guides and excursions to Mount Vesuvius.” shops, gelaterias, boutiques and fruit stands where cedri lemons are as big as grapefruit. “A multitude of restaurants and nightclubs are in Sorrento,” says Peter D’Attoma, owner of DaVinci Travel, an Ohio-based company that has organized trips for ComDoc, Shell UK, Bernafon –Brad Frick, Edward Jones an elegant seaside property dating to the 16th century, with Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius views. The guest list reads like the syllabus in a college lit class: Milton, Goethe, Byron, Scott, Shelley, Keats and Longfellow all stayed here. It was here that Harriet Beecher Stowe was inspired to write Agnes of 50 | Incentive | August 2008 | incentivemag.com http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - August 2008

Incentive - August 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
In the News
Cover Story: Amgen and Avnet, a Pair of Fortune 200 companies, are taking two very Different Approaches to Rolling out a Global Recognition Program
Incentive Interview: Author, Speaker, Professor, Refugee; Steve L. Robbins’ many hats have led him to ask, “What if ... The World isn’t as We Think It Is?”
Case Study: Rudi’s Organic Bakery Found that an incentive trip with a Strong Social Responsibility Component Works Wonders
Gift Card IQ
Banking on Relationships
Corporate Comics Make Serious Points
Incentive Primer: Tom Miller
Gas Incentives Rev Up
Legal Ease: Pitfalls Beyond Taxes
My Turn: Airline Frequent Flier Programs
Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do
Amalfi Coast: A Classic Italian Destination
Hong Kong: The Original Chinese Incentive
Ireland: South, East, West, and Now North
potentials Here and Now
Electronics: Top Tech Trends
Luxury Goods: Exceptional Awards
Corporate Gifting: Rules and Ideas
Excite and Incent: Spot Rewards
Advertiser Index
Off the Cuff: Hollis H. Malone

Incentive - August 2008