Cheap Incentive Travel

One destination we offer for our incentive travel programs is Cancun, Mexico. Not only does the city boast some of the nicest all-inclusive resorts, it’s also home to some of the world’s prettiest beaches and most exciting nightlife, and come to think of it exciting daytime entertainment, around. If you are lucky enough to be heading to Cancun anytime soon here are a few things you can do while vacationing there:

Swim with Dolphins at Dolphin Discovery – You’ll hop on a boat for a quick 20 minute ride to Isla Mujeres and then join dolphins and other marine animals in turquoise waters surrounded by white sands and palm trees.

Eat until you’re stuffed – Cancun has world-class restaurants that appeal to any taste from their French delicacy restaurant L’Escargot to their authentic Mexican restaurants such as La Destileria. You will definitely find it difficult to go hungry on this trip!

Get pampered at one of the many spas – Cancun has spas aplenty, but they are mainly located in the hotel zone. You can expect to pay a premium because these spas are all located within hotels, but experiences such as the 90-minute bamboo massage at Royal Sands or the meditation session in a Mayan sweat lodge at Xbalamque will quickly revive your energy levels and renew your sense of Zen.

Beach it at one of the many beach clubs – Because Cancun is known for non-stop entertainment many of the restaurants and bars along the beaches of Cancun feature music and fun along with food and yummy adult beverages to keep the party going 24/7.

Dance the night away at Coco Bongo – Coco Bongo is possibly Cancun’s most popular nightclub. So popular in fact, that it is frequently featured on travel shows and websites. With a capacity of 3,000 it gets pretty crowded here so be prepared to wear as little clothing as you are comfortable with and bump into lots of people as you jam to the hottest beats.

Have you ever been to Cancun? What was your favorite thing about the city?

#EliteIncentiveTravel #incentivetravel #EliteTravelGroup #Honeymoongiveaway #EliteAdventureTravel

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There are lots of companies out there offering travel vouchers for companies to use as incentives to get their employees to meet quotas, have better attendance, to boost performance and so on. In this post I’d like to give a word of a caution on using MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) such as YTB, WorldVentures, Tripazon and the like for your travel voucher incentive programs.

First, there is no guarantee the rep you are working with will have the slightest clue about travel! When people sign up for travel MLMs they generally have been given a promise of easy riches and traveling around the world for deep discounts or even for free. More often than not they don’t know the first things about the travel industry or the things you will need to know. Elite Travel has been in the business nearly two decades and our agents are highly trained in everything they sell.

Second, no experience also means no reputation. How can you rely on this agent of this company? Sure, the company may have been in business more than a minute, but the people working for them could have literally started the week that they pitched you their incentive program. There is no guarantee they are reputable. Elite Travel has served hundreds of thousands of customers and successfully managed millions of dollars worth of bookings in the travel industry. Our testimonials and client loyalty speaks for themselves!

Third, the company could go out of business quickly and/or your rep could decide to stop working. Most MLMs require you pay out of pocket up front for travel vouchers and this is a risky move on your behalf. More and more MLMs have been getting shut down by programs such as the FTC for fraudulent and unethical business practices. When the company goes out of business or an agent quits working for the MLM vouchers sold could be deemed worthless.

Finally, MLMs are in the business of converting customers into travel sales people. The first thing you can expect is that your employees will be given a high pressure sales tactic promising them riches the sell travel to friends and family.

Want to learn more about working with Elite? Call us at 1-866-726-9090 today!

#EliteIncentiveTravel #incentivetravel #EliteTravelGroup #AWordofCautiononIncentiveTravelProgramsviaMLMS

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You made it through 2014 by the skin of your teeth and managed to keep your job. However, there is no denying you were incredibly bummed when you didn’t earn the incentive trip your boss was offering to sales people who met a certain quota. Well, brush it off because it’s a new year so it’s time to really get clear on your goal of earning that trip this year! If you’re ready to rock 2015 you’re in luck because I’ve compiled a surefire way to help you earn that dream trip this year!

Step 1: Let go of last year. It’s over and done with and dwelling on missed opportunities will bum you out and potentially ruin your clean slate.

Step 2: Make a list of potential sales leads- First, write down or type up a list of everyone you know. Then, go back through that list and see which people in your list would benefit from what you are selling.

Step 3: Create an amazing sales pitch! Check out our post on how to make the sales pitch HERE.

Step 4: Make the sales pitch!

Step 5: After the pitch, if you haven’t made the sale, contact your potential client again! Don’t waste too much time on the potential client though. Remember, time is money! Check out our post about when to give up on a sales lead HERE.

Step 6: Make the sale and then repeat steps one, two and three. Continue these steps until quota is met.

Still concerned you won’t meet your quota? Check out our post on easy ways to increase sales HERE.

Don’t wait until the deadline of the quota approaches either. Doing this could cause you to watch everyone else earn the trip while you stay glued to your desk chair again! Don’t be that employee in 2015. Instead, start right away! Check out ways to stop the procrastination cycle HERE.

#EliteIncentiveTravel #incentivetravel #EliteTravelGroup

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Congratulations! You have worked hard and earned the incentive trip. Now, it’s time to get down to the business of planning the dream vacation you saved up all those travel points to take.

First, you need to take the time off from work. Put in your vacation request as soon as possible. For some employers you will need to request vacation weeks or months in advance especially if you plan on taking your trip around the holidays.

Second, decide where you want to go. Many of the companies we work with set up a list of destinations to choose from so contact us and let us know which trip you want to take. Side note- you may be able to pay extra for an extended stay. For example, if you earned a free three night stay but really want four or five nights we may be able to extend your stay for an additional fee. Should you want to extend your stay please let us know in the early stages of planning as making changes after booking is not always easy.

Third, book your flights if necessary and get your documents in order. If it’s an international trip you will need a passport and without paying an expedition fee a passport can take four to six weeks to obtain!

Next, it’s time to start packing. Look up the area’s weather reports for the time you will be there and pack accordingly. No one wants to be wearing shorts in 30 weather°, just like wearing a heavy jacket makes no sense when its 86° outside!

Be sure to pack a little extra cash too! Even though your trip might be an all-inclusive vacation it never hurts to have some buffer money for emergencies and incidentals.

Lastly, head to the airport and take your trip. Arrive early to avoid the risk of missing your flight due to unforeseen circumstances. Check in, hop on board and enjoy your travels knowing that you deserve this getaway.

#EliteIncentiveTravel #EliteTravelGroup #TammyLevent #sales

Looking for yet another reason to offer a travel incentive in your business? How about this one? Travel is good for the health of your employees! In fact, according to the BBC, “Workers who take time off are more productive, have higher morale and are less likely to mentally ‘check out’ on the job. They also report less stress and burnout.” Fox News also reported that men and women who vacation regularly are at less risk for heart disease or a heart attack.

So what is it about travel that benefits the health of your employees?

Travel makes you well-rounded as an individual. Learning about new cultures expands the mind thereby helping your mental health.

Travel helps your personal relationships. Giving your employees the chance to take a break from the daily grind and reconnect with their families helps their emotional and mental health.

Taking a break means resting and this helps your employees’ physical and mental health. No one can go non-stop 24/7 without eventually breaking down. Giving your employees a trip provides them a wonderful stress-free break.

Travel generally means being more active and being active can boost immunity.

Typically travel is a major goal for people and having the opportunity to cross certain destinations off of an employee’s bucket list benefits their mental health.

All the good feelings associated with travel carry over when the employee gets back to work. They come back mentally, emotionally and physically refreshed and excited about the prospect of working towards another vacation. The best part is if they took pictures on the trip they can use those to remember how good they felt on vacation recharging them throughout the time until their next trip.

#incentives #incentivetravel #EliteIncentiveTravel #TammyLevent #EliteTravelGroup #travelincentives

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Trying to figure out where to send your employees for your next incentive travel trip? Here are some ideas that may help sway your decision:

Domestic options:

Just a few options for domestic trips include things like Las Vegas, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Florida and California. Domestic airfare can sometimes be cheaper and if your business is in the same state as the incentive trip you choose airfare might not even be an issue.

Imagine an incentive trip to Napa Valley or San Francisco. Arrange for your employees to dip their toes in the beaches of Florida or Hawaii. There’s always fun to be had in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe offers a serene retreat. There are all inclusive resorts in the states and there are theme parks in several states to choose from. The possibilities of domestic trips are endless!

International Options:

If you insist on sending your employees out of the country, first be sure they have their passport! Sometimes you will get lucky and find that trips out of the country can be cheaper than domestic ones. Pricing and options depend on the season, the location and many other factors.

The most popular option for all-inclusive trips is the Caribbean. Check out our post about the benefits of choosing an all-inclusive resort. The Caribbean feels worlds away from the states even though it’s so close by. There are unique experiences with gorgeous views everywhere from Aruba to the Bahamas, Jamaica to Turks & Caicos.

All-inclusive resorts in Mexico are a popular option because of low cost flights and all-inclusive accommodations.

Another popular option is Europe but how wide you will need to open your wallet depends on the country you choose for the trip.

Remember, whether you decide to stay domestic or go international, Elite Travel will work with you to help you decide on the best option for your budget.

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After deciding to give your employees incentive trips you may be wondering- What is tax deductible and what’s not? Below is just a glimpse of what you need to know about what is tax deductible regarding awarding trips and bonuses to employees.

Bonuses – You can generally deduct a bonus paid to an employee if you intended the bonus as additional pay for services, not as a gift, and the services were performed. However, the total bonuses, salaries, and other pay must be reasonable for the services performed.

 Awards – You can generally deduct amounts you pay to your employees as awards, whether paid in cash or property. If you give property to an employee as an employee achievement award, your deduction may be limited.

Achievement awards – An achievement award is an item of tangible personal property that meets all the following requirements.

• It is given to an employee for length of service or safety achievement.
• It is awarded as part of a meaningful presentation.
• It is awarded under conditions and circumstances that do not create a significant likelihood of disguised pay.

Deduction limit – Your deduction for the cost of employee achievement awards given to any one employee during the tax year is limited to the following.

• $400 for awards that are not qualified plan awards.
• $1,600 for all awards, whether or not qualified plan awards.

A qualified plan award is an achievement award given as part of an established written plan or program that does not favor highly compensated employees as to eligibility or benefits.

A highly compensated employee is an employee who meets either of the following tests.

1. The employee was a 5% owner at any time during the year or the preceding year.
2. The employee received more than $115,000 in pay for the preceding year.

Deduct achievement awards as a nonwage business expense on your return or business schedule.

Are you more confused now than you were before? When in doubt, ask your accountant!

#TammyLevent #EliteIncentiveTravel #incentivetravel #incentivetripsandtaxwriteoffs

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Your numbers are in and you didn’t meet the quota this time for your free incentive trip. Now you’re bummed out and trying to cope. Now what?

– Remember you can try again next time: Odds are you will have another chance to earn a free trip. Most companies that do incentives for trips realize they are so successful they offer more!

– Figure out what went wrong: You had the same chance everyone else did to make this quota. Assess why you didn’t meet your numbers. Did you procrastinate too much? Was your sales-pitch stale and/or in need of an upgrade? What will it take to help you earn the trip next time?

– Ask for help: If you have figured out something that cost you the trip that your coworkers or boss can help you with ASK!

– Don’t be a hater: One of the most important things is to not be jealous of and mean to your coworkers that did earn the trip. Again, you had the same chance they did. You would want them to be happy for you if you earned the trip so you should show them the same courtesy. It’s important to remember that being a hater could also get you on the boss man’s bad side and no one wants to be there.

– Keep in mind you still made money: Sure, it is unfortunate you didn’t earn a trip this time, but the good news is you were still making money. You still have a job. Not everyone can say that so be grateful for that at least.

– Fuming and pouting get you nowhere: Being upset won’t get you on that trip and it honestly won’t make you feel any better. In fact, being overly upset could cost you your job. If your boss doesn’t think you can roll with the punches you could end up with a pink slip instead of another chance to earn a trip. Just accept you missed out, let it go and gear up for round two!

#incentivetravel #TammyLevent #EliteTravelGroup #EliteIncentiveTravel

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