Site joins the travel and meetings industry in praising the establishment of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The Site International Board of Directors has also urged the organization to ensure that growth and representation of the motivational events and incentive travel industry are included in its strategies.
Site President Alejandro Verzoub, President of AV Business & Communication based in Argentina stated, “The news of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, and its initiatives, has been well received by Site members across the globe. Site recognizes the distinguished leaders called to serve on the Advisory Board, but also encourages the Board to include stakeholders committed to the motivational events and incentive travel segment. These should be individuals who represent not only the views of American business but also hold extensive global experiences.”
Incentive programs may be smaller in quantity than other types of visible meetings or travel groups but they stand powerful in impact. The 2011 report The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy documented 1.8 million US meetings with 66,000 classified as incentive meetings. The incentive segment accounted for 25 million travelers and 13 million room nights in the US alone. Around the globe, motivational travel programs represent a multi-billion dollar investment in the world economy.
Site President Elect, David Sand, CEO of Uwin Iwin Incentives based in South Africa, commented, “I hope the outcome will be to add more jobs to the US economy and make travel visas to the US less costly. US companies were some of the first to identify the power that motivational reward programs have in making them more competitive at home and abroad. In other parts of the world we look forward to this opportunity to see motivational events and incentive travel reward programs being promoted within a US national strategic framework.”
Site praises efforts to improve the visa process particularly for China and Brazil. In 2012, Site is holding its international conference in Beijing as both a celebration of the destination and in recognition that China is a nation increasing their use of motivational travel experiences. In 2011, Site recognized and honored a single program from Amway China that delivered 15,000 of its leading sales people to Los Angeles for a week-long meeting and incentive trip. Increasing the potential of easily receiving inbound groups from all countries of the world would benefit American business and the American worker.
This issue is particularly important to Site since its global headquarters is based in Chicago, Illinois and serves nearly 2,000 individual members in 90 countries. Allison Summers, Managing Director for Site & the Site International Foundation added, “Easing visa requirements and US tourism promotion are positive moves that we welcome. However, Site encourages the Advisory Board and US Congressional leaders to broaden their views to recognize that motivational programs that employ travel as a key motivator can have a compound effect on the US economy. Not only are workers and distribution partners encouraged to grow business, but the economy is equally stimulated by the resulting investment in the group travel, meetings and events.”
