Bespoke itineraries, outstanding attention to detail and memorable Moroccan moments created a truly aspirational reward for 35 top performers and their partners in May 2025. The six-night programme in Marrakech, delivered by Shore Events for a global medical device company, took home the Best Incentive award at the micebook Awards 2026.
The incentive needed to reward those who delivered outstanding results while motivating the wider sales force to aim for future recognition. Previous programmes had typically centred around beach resorts, so Marrakech offered an opportunity to immerse attendees from across the Americas in a different culture.
The result was an incentive in which no two couples followed the same itinerary, requiring complex logistics, co-ordination, flexibility and real-time problem solving.
Building anticipation
The incentive journey began long before attendees arrived in Morocco. Launched at the client’s annual sales conference, the programme was supported by a year-long qualification and engagement campaign designed to maintain momentum and drive sales.
Working with Four Seasons Resort Marrakech, Shore Events created a series of targeted communications featuring destination-led content, including videos from the hotel’s general manager, a recipe card from its chef and messages from the client’s hosts.
For those who qualified, the focus then shifted to personalisation. Shore Events held private calls with every couple ahead of the trip to understand how they wanted to spend their time, building individual itineraries around their preferences.
Alongside a daily group touchpoint, guests could choose from private dinners, spa sessions, hot-air balloon rides and excursions. Across two evenings, the agency managed bookings at around 18 different restaurants, coordinating transport, dietary requirements, table settings and service for each couple.
From desert pool party to dinner under the stars
Shore Events worked with Access Morrocco DMC to create a memorable programme. One of the highlights took place in the Agafay Desert, where guests arrived for an Ibiza-style pool party featuring lounge music, cocktails and specially curated décor.
As the sun set, the setting was transformed for dinner under the stars. Each couple was given a private tent where they could change and prepare for the evening, complete with a customised amenities pack.
Guests could also explore a pop-up market offering jewellery-making, henna, tarot reading, calligraphy and traditional clothing. All the gifts and market stalls were locally sourced and supported a social enterprise working with a local women’s charity.
Another standout experience took guests into the private home of Moroccan botanist and perfumer Abderrazzak Benchaâbane, who helped restore the Majorelle Garden alongside Yves Saint Laurent.
During an exclusive perfume masterclass, each participant created a bespoke fragrance to take home as a lasting reminder of Marrakech.
A memorable final arrival
For the closing gala, Shore Events sourced a collection of vintage luxury cars from independent collectors across Morocco. The fleet included Porsches, Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Cadillacs and Mercedes, including one vehicle formerly used by King Mohammed V, grandfather of Morocco’s current monarch.
Delivering another personal touch required an equally extensive search. Knowing the client had a particular fondness for Clase Azul tequila, which was not available in Morocco, the team worked through a network of local and international partners to source 35 bottles for the group.
The programme also made use of some of Marrakech’s best-known traditional venues. With events running across six nights, Shore Events worked closely with each kitchen to create alternative menus and avoid repetition throughout the trip.
Personalisation under pressure
The level of flexibility promised to attendees brought considerable operational challenges. Guests sometimes changed or cancelled arrangements only hours, and occasionally minutes, before they were due to begin.
Each request triggered a series of updates involving restaurants, drivers, guides and other suppliers, which had to be managed without affecting the experiences of other couples.
When Shore Events discovered that one of the winners spoke very limited English, it secured a Spanish-speaking guide at short notice to accompany the couple and ensure they could engage fully with their itinerary.
The team also had to respond when a major power outage affecting air traffic control in Spain prevented one couple travelling via Madrid from reaching Morocco. Within hours, Shore Events had created an alternative mini-programme for them in London, so they still felt recognised and included.
Motivation that lasted beyond Marrakech
Post-event feedback recorded a satisfaction rate of 98.2%, with attendees particularly highlighting the personalisation, flexibility and once-in-a-lifetime nature of the experience.
Meanwhile, 87% of attendees felt more connected to the company following the programme, and 94% said they were more motivated to exceed their targets during the next financial period.
The client also recorded a 12% increase in sales in the months following the incentive, attributed to increased engagement among both attendees and those hoping to qualify for the next trip. Internally, the business reported improved morale and greater collaboration between regional teams.
One attendee said the programme had set the bar so high that they would be “doing everything” possible to hit their targets and attend the following year.
The micebook Awards judging panel praised Shore Events for delivering a powerful combination of “personalisation, motivation, memorability, campaign build-up, reward quality and measurable post-event impact”. Another described it as “a beautifully curated and highly personalised incentive programme”.