The Incentive Research Foundation’s (IRF) first-ever study focused solely on the European market reports that 97% of European employees surveyed consider group incentive travel a strong motivational tool.
This will come as positive news for incentive travel planners across the Europe, with the 2025 European Attendee Preferences for Incentive Travel report providing valuable insights into what European participants value most in terms of destination features, travel accommodations, and overall program design.
Officially released today (13 March), the research was shared and discussed with a select group of European incentive professionals at the IRF’s first European summit in Portugal last month (see highlights and pictures from the event here).
The IRF has been providing quality research on the US incentive market for many years, and the launch of the European event and report is part of a focused effort to serve the incentives industry in Europe.
Stephanie Harris, IRF President said: “The IRF is excited to produce this new research specifically for the European incentives market. We previewed this study at our European Event in Portugal last month, and it’s clear that incentive travel is a useful and motivating tool for European employers.
“The data sparked lively discussions about attendee preferences including showing favour for close to home destinations and the inclusion of free time, providing some potential relief to program owners in a challenging economy.”
Key findings
- Western Europe ranks as the most highly motivating destination, with 48% of all respondents selecting it as one of their top choices. The Nordics (45%), Eastern Europe (36%), and East Asia (35%) are also very popular destinations.
- Eastern Europe is particularly favoured by respondents from Southern Europe (39%), the UK/Ireland (37%), and Central Europe (37%).
- Free time for relaxation was an essential feature according to 80% of respondents, and luxury accommodations were considered important by 78% of respondents.
- A beach or sunny environment was the most highly ranked feature overall (35%), followed closely by cultural importance (34%), adventure travel (33%), and historic location (31%).
- Central Europeans are likely to prefer metropolitan destinations (32%), while Eastern Europeans favour adventure travel (43%), and Southern Europeans lean toward historical sites (42%).
- Respondents from the UK/Ireland show the highest level of enthusiasm for cruises, with 85% supporting ocean cruises and 81% favouring river cruises.
- Sustainability and external factors increasingly impact how employees view incentive travel programs. A notable 28% of respondents indicate that geopolitical issues, such as conflicts and instability, can have a negative effect on their perception of incentive travel rewards.