How presence, personalization and purpose reshape incentive travel
Amid the backdrop of Cancun’s sandy shores, 500-plus incentive industry professionals gathered at AVA Resort Cancun for the 2025 IRF Invitational. The oceanside event saw 40% first-time attendees (including the author herself).
The event satisfied the balance between education and connection. IRF Chair of the Board of Trustees, Morgan Crain, perfectly summarized this at the kickoff: “We are in the business of seeing and celebrating people’s talent. And that is our collective superpower.”
The Impact of Being Present
Kevin Brown delivered the opening keynote. He told attendees an emotional and inspiring story about his family, their relationship with the Walt Disney Company and the importance of being present. Making your recognition personal—and avoiding being performative—can ultimately help your business succeed.
“Recognition is not about what you do, it’s about who you are when you do it,” Brown offered the crowd.
Power of Recognition
During one of the education sessions on building a culture of recognition, the speakers presented IRF research that showed specific and sincere recognition increases engagement, trust and productivity.
“Recognition is not one-size-fits-all,” said Kristal Cardone, director of enterprise recognition events at Liberty Mutual Insurance. “It’s about making people feel truly seen, no matter the format.” Cardone used digital cards and incentive travel to celebrate employees and the company’s core values.
Read More: Work Smart: The Team Culture Factor
The panel also shared that timely feedback and layered recognition methods worked into daily operations were also beneficial.
“Recognition isn’t fluff, it’s a business strategy. If you’re not building it into your culture, you’re leaving value on the table,” offered Lynn Randal, managing director of Randall Insights TX, LLC.
Engaging Millennials and Gen Z in Incentives
A panel discussion on engaging with millennials and Gen Z touched on what the two age groups look for: personalization, wellness experiences, flexibility, free time and exploration.
For the younger generations, the standard long-form dinner format is a thing of the past.
Read More: Take 5: How Gen Z is Reshaping Trade Shows
“Three-hour awards dinners just don’t work anymore,” said Ashley Bohnenkamp, senior manager of event solutions at ITA Group. “We need meaningful moments that fit how people live now.”
Streamlined ceremonies, immersive off-site experiences and pop-up activities are currently trending among attendees’ interests.
Meeting your attendees where they’re at means considering their values and what makes them truly tick.
The Biggest Concerns Right Now
The incentive world is exciting, but real-world concerns keep incentive planners awake at night.
Inflation, global instability and economic shifts post-pandemic have drastically altered the incentive world.
One comment on the panel was that planners are not only fighting budget fatigue, but also expectation fatigue. Attendees are looking for more, but there is less to be offered.
The panel suggested some strategic refinements to help this process:
- Focus on comfort, meaning and personalization. Consider experiences with high emotional impact, such as private dinners or spa appointments.
- Focus on high-impact moments: choosing interesting venues with a story.
- Connect with suppliers to create co-branded activations: custom welcome kits or a surprise evening experience.
- Reframe the ROI: report success based on emotional impact
Moments of Recognition
During the conference’s final days, the IRF’s Above & Beyond Foundation honored several frontline hospitality workers for their consistent efforts. This highlighted the importance of crediting those who play a significant part in crafting our events, regardless of their role.
Like many aspects of the conference echoed, recognition within your organization is not a perk, but a practice. Whether that looks like a handwritten note, gift card or tickets to a special event, valuing the ones who help craft the connections within the hospitality industry may be the most valuable resource yet.
