Incentive - November 2009 - (Page 31)

TRAVEL The panoramic view of the Swiss mountains from the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne should take attendees’ breath away Craftsmanship Incentive planners can build memorable, rewarding trips out of Switzerland’s meticulous transportation and hospitality offerings By David Block Swiss S witzerland is a country whose most famous inventions are arguably the Swiss Army knife, Velcro, and cellophane, whose best-known figure may be a tennis player, and whose most dynamic characteristic is neutrality. Paul Bilton, author of Xenophobe’s Guide to the Swiss, observes, “The Swiss have taken on their shoulders the burden of being sensible for less responsible nations.” The Swiss may stay in the middle, but Barbra Albrecht, head of meetings marketing for Switzerland Tourism, notes their authenticity: “Go to the mountains, and you’ll find people happily working their farms as they did hundreds of years ago. Americans adore traditions.” Yet, 70 incentive organizers recently discovered the Swiss can be creative and fun and that they possess top-notch infrastructure. What were the Swiss propositions that impressed those incentive organizers? First, it was accessibility, with international airlines threading into major hubs like Zurich and Geneva. The country’s network of trains, roads, cable cars, trams, and even ferries is meticulously coordinated and efficient. Switzerland’s rail system is accurate to the second despite running over 9,000 trains a day, a European record. That predictability means fewer logistical hassles for incentive planners. Then, it’s the Swiss’ communication skills. At least five languages are spoken in the country: English with a Swiss bent, known as “Swinglish,” plus French, German, Italian, and Romansch (25,000 of Switzerland’s population use this ancient, Latin-based tongue). incentivemag.com | November 2009 | Incentive | http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - November 2009

Incentive - November 2009
Contents
Editor’s Note: Incentive Excellence Exchange
Headlines
Amway’s Over-the-Top 50th Anniversary Incentive Trip
Cover Story: Growing Globally, Software Developer Symantec Seeks Centralized Recognition
Strategies: Motivating the Six Workplace Personality Types
Primer: Five Tools CEOs Can Use To Improve Engagement
Travel News: Where to Go and How to Get There
Switzerland’s Incentive Offerings Are Legendary
Potentials: Here and Now
Digital Cameras for the Social Networking Era
Incentive Gift Card Directory

Incentive - November 2009