Top performers deserve to be rewarded with extraordinary experiences. Following, M&C has hand-picked some unique offerings in some of the world's most colorful destinations, from World Cup frenzy in Brazil to a royal ramble in the U.K.
Brazil and the FIFA World Cup
For fans of international football (aka soccer), the place to be in 2014 is Brazil, when the South American country will play host to the sport's holy grail, the Federation Internationale de Football Association World Cup (fifa.com). Twelve Brazilian cities will host 64 matches between June 12 and July 13; the tournament will kick off in Sao Paolo and culminate with the championship final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.
Despite the retirement of its greatest star, David Beckham, in May, soccer remains a thrilling contest of skill, endurance and ever-shifting momentum, and even those who never paid much attention to the sport will find an important match, in an exotic locale, great fun to experience.
This vibrant country has plenty of other attractions and diversions to make for a one-of-a-kind trip.
Highlights. Sports travel expert Duane Penner, vice president, sales, for Winnipeg, Ontario-based Roadtrips Inc. (roadtrips.com), recommends basing incentive trips in Rio de Janeiro for the duration of the program (typically five days). Participants will be able to take in a match or two and go on day trips via private jet to one of the other FIFA host cities: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador and Sao Paulo.
Note: While tickets for matches are on sale, the FIFA lottery that determines team pairings and where they will play won't be held until December; Penner advises waiting until then to book, if attending a particular match is important to the group. He also recommends hiring a soccer expert (e.g., a former player or sports editor) to give the group a pre-game talk about the teams' histories, top players and potential game plans.
For down time, organize a private tour of Rio's top draws, including Sugar Loaf Mountain and the famous towering statue of Christ the Redeemer. Themed activities can include a night devoted to churrascaria, or South American-style barbecue, and a Carnival night, complete with costumes, floats and samba dancing. Firms such as Havas Creative Tours (havasbrazil.com) can make the arrangements.
Hotels. Among Rio de Janeiro's top incentive-level hotels are the 388-room Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Copacabana, 245-room Copacabana Palace and 245-room JW Marriott Hotel Rio De Janeiro.
Gifts. Get participants in the spirit of the sport with official FIFA World Cup T-shirts, gear and team souvenirs, available at store.fifa.com.
Contacts. Visit Brazil (visitbrazil.com); Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau (rcvb.com.br)
The British Royal Experience
Fans of the British Royal Family, following the fairy tale-like wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, now have a new reason to celebrate: the birth of William and Kate's son, George Alexander Louis, the future King George VII.
The general sense of euphoria surrounding these recent events, along with an itinerary that gives winners a glimpse into the lives of royals past and present, will result in a singular experience.
Highlights. Among the many ways to incorporate the royal theme into a London incentive program:
• A private visit before or after hours to the newly refurbished Crown Jewels exhibition at the Tower of London (hrp.org.uk); also on display is the Lily Font, the baptismal fountain first used for of Queen Victoria's eldest child, Princess Victoria, which will again be employed for the new prince's baptism.
• A private tea, with a talk on the storied tradition of the afternoon ritual, in the Diamond Jubilee Salon at Fortnum & Mason (fortnumandmason.com); and
• A tour of the city's Mayfair district, as organized by destination management companies such as Spectra (spectra-dmc.com), which goes behind the scenes at exclusive shops that enjoy a royal warrant (special status) to supply goods to the royal family.
Among private venues with royal ties and where group receptions or dinners can be held are Kensington Palace, home to Kate, William and baby George; Hampton Court Palace, a favorite of Henry VIII; Kew Palace, built in 1631 (for details on all three of the above venues go to hrp.org.uk); and the Guards Museum (theguardsmuseum.com), which traces the history of the regiments that make up Her Majesty's Household Division of Foot Guards.
Other activities include a visit to Windsor Castle (royalcollection.org.uk) for a private viewing of the Queen's art collection, followed by a tour of Eton College (etoncollege.com), where many male English royals have been educated. About an hour from London is the lovely seaside city of Brighton, where the Royal Pavilion (bit.ly/15rd97K) is a magnificent palace built by King George IV; private events are accommodated.
Hotels. London offers a wealth of incentive-caliber properties, including the iconic 250-room Dorchester, long a popular hotspot for royals, and the 69-room Goring, which was the first hotel to get a royal warrant from the reigning Queen Elizabeth.
Gifts. Celebrate Prince George's birth with a selection of baby cookies in his honor, from famed supplier Biscuiteers (biscuiteers.com/shop/royal-baby-ti); these delicious edibles make a perfect welcome or pillow gift for participants.
Contacts. Visit England (visitengland.com); London & Partners (londonandpartners.com)
Old World charm: Leuven, BelgiumBeer Appreciation in Belgium
Belgium's beer culture has been renowned since the Middle Ages. With more than 450 varieties of the brew made here, an incentive program here will appeal to connoisseurs of the beverage, as well as lovers of history, art (from Rubens to Magritte), diamonds and gastronomy (Belgian fries, waffles, mussels steeped in wine or beer, and chocolate are among the tasty offerings).
Highlights. A program can be based in the cosmopolitan capital of Brussels, with day trips to world-famous cities such as Antwerp, Bruges and Leuven. The country's delicious beers -- available in varieties such as white, brown, chocolate and cherry -- can be incorporated in many meals, receptions and, naturally, pub visits.
Brussels' Brewer's House, the magnificent baroque headquarters of the Belgian Brewers Association (belgianbrewers.be), is a great choice for private events. In beautifully quaint Bruges, the Comptoir Des Arts (comptoirdesarts.be) is one popular pub in which participants can sample any of 90 beers served with a side order of jazz and blues.
Recently, for the final night gala of an incentive program for a U.S. brewer, destination management company Ovation Belgium (ovationdmc.com/country/belgium) took the group to Leuven, a charming old university town, where they rented out the historic De Hoorn Brewery (dehoorn.eu). Participants were feted at the site where the famous export beer, Stella Artois, was first made.
Other activities, all of which can be organized by Ovation Belgium, include a private lunch in the City Hall of Brussels, built in the 15th century; and a guided tour of Antwerp, covering its historic diamond trade, immigrant embarkation point and the Cathedral of Our Lady, which houses a three-section panel painting by Rubens.
Hotels. Incentive-level properties in Brussels include the 267-room Steigenberger GrandHotel Brussels and 173-room Hotel Amigo.
Gifts. Belgian beers typically are served in glasses designed for the type/brand of beverage. Give winners one or several glasses for their favorite brew; truebeer.com has a wide selection. Belgian chocolates are a delicious and welcome treat for participants; Zaabar (zaabar.com) is a well-known Brussels-based confectioner with a wide range of gifts.
Contacts. Belgian Tourist Office (visitbelgium.org); Visit Flanders (visit flanders.com)
Car culture: The BMW Museum and Plant in Munich, GermanyThe Luxury Cars of Germany
As home to automakers Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Germany is the luxury car capital of the world. A trip that incorporates the vehicle theme, based in the gorgeous baroque city of Munich, will reward and keep winners revved up for future goals.
Highlights. Enjoy a private visit to the BMW Museum and Plant (bmw-welt.com), which showcases 120 of the carmaker's sumptuous vehicles, while next door, a tour of the plant lets visitors walk through all the stages of BMW production. Other car-based attractions include a private event in Stuttgart's Porsche Museum (bit.ly/12XODb4in), which displays 80 of the fabled sports cars, or the Stuttgart-based Mercedes-Benz Museum (mercedes-benz-classic.com/museum).
To give top performers a stint behind the wheel of a famed German car, organize a day at the BMW and MINI Driving Academy (bit.ly/13G9x28) in Maisach, outside of Munich; group events with private instructors are available.
Munich and the surrounding Bavarian countryside offer a wealth of venues and non-car activities. Organize a private visit to Nymphenburg Castle (schloss-nymphenburg.de/englisch/palace/index.htm), the former summer home of Bavarian kings with its famous "Gallery of Beauties," painted for King Ludwig I, or tour the romantic countryside dotted with gems like the ancient Bavarian castle of Neuschwanstein and the monastery ruins of Wieskirche.
Plan an evening of visual and culinary pleasures at the SkyLounge on the 14th floor of Munich's Telekom Center, which offers gorgeous views of the Alps while a team of SkyCooking chefs helps groups prepare their own gourmet dinner (events-over-munich.de).
Another atmospheric spot is the old industrial complex in Heizkraftwerk Mitteor (koflerkompanie.com), which once supplied the power to Munich's Central Station, the city's main rail hub.
And, regardless of the time of year the program takes place, an Octoberfest theme party, complete with beers, pretzels, music and servers in traditional Bavarian dirndls and lederhosen, can be arranged by companies such as Compass Tours Incoming (kater-dmc.de).
Hotels. Incentive properties in Munich include the 396-room Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, 340-room Bayerischer Hof, 297-room Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich, 160-room The Charles Hotel Munich and 73-room Mandarin Oriental, Munich. In Stuttgart, the main incentive property is the 293-room Le Méridien Stuttgart.
Gifts. The next best thing to owning a Porsche, BMW or Mercedes vehicle is living the luxury-car lifestyle. Among the myriad gifts the swanky automakers offer are branded watches, assorted leather goods and sunglasses. Go to shop2.porsche.com/usa/lifestyle for an excellent selection of Porsche items, visit shopbmwusa.com for BMW-logoed items and accessories.mbusa.com for official Mercedes-Benz gift items.
Contacts. German Convention Bureau (germany-meetings.com); German National Tourist Office (germany.travel)
The Big Island of Hawaii has all the makings of a perfect incentive destination: gorgeous weather, tropical beaches, luxury resorts, exquisite spas, tons of water sports and gourmet dining. But it's Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, site of one of the world's most active volcano, Kilauea, left, that gives the island singular status. An entire program can be crafted to incorporate outdoor activities, sightseeing, lore and more, based on this fiery natural phenomenon.
Program and highlights. Volcanoes National Park is the base for themed group adventures. Among the many activities peak performers can enjoy on-site are guided hikes through Nahuku, known as the Thurston Lava Tube, a 500-year old lava cave; and tours of the sacred Puuloa Petroglyphs, images carved into the lava rock centuries ago. Among the companies that can organize activities here is Hawaii Forest and Trail (hawaii-forest.com).
Volcano Bike Tours (bikevolcano.com) arranges bicycle tours of Kilauea, while Hawaii Lava Ocean Adventure Tours (lavaocean.com) gathers participants on a boat to take in the dramatic spectacle of lava flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
The Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes (hilo.hawaii.edu/~csav/facilities/) offers education programs and volcanologists who can speak to groups about the science and history of the mysterious craters.
Carry the volcanic theme into a pampering session: The Hualalai Spa at the Four Seasons Resort (fourseasons.com/hualalai/spa/) offers massages and facials that incorporate native ingredients, including Hawaiian black lava salt.
To round out a program, DMC Weil & Associates (weildmc.com) can organize authentic themed events, such as a luau or paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) function.
Hotels. The Big Island has a wealth of luxury resorts perfect for hosting incentive groups. Among them are the 1,240-room Hilton Waikaloa Village, 540-room The Fairmont Orchid Hawaii, 530-room Waikaloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 509-room Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, 343-room Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, 258-room Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and 243-room Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.
For a truly unique experience, try the tiny 33-room Volcano House. The hotel is right in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, overlooking Halema'uma'u Crater at the summit of Kilauea. The property has recently reopened following a two-year head-to-toe renovation.
Gift ideas. The lava stone carvings from Tropic Isle Music and Gifts (tropicislemusic.com/wood/stonecarvings2.htm) make unique gifts that tie in perfectly to the Hawaiian volcano theme. Other ideas include black lava sea salt, available from suppliers such as the Savory Spice Shop (savoryspiceshop.com).
Contact. The Hawaii Visitor & Convention Bureau, bigisland.org