International incentive trip destinations: how to choose

An international incentive trip is often the most memorable reward of a sales or performance campaign. Discovering another country with colleagues, enjoying experiences people would rarely have on their own and being recognized by the company create an effect that goes well beyond the amount invested. But the right destination is not the most famous or the most expensive one: it is the one that fits the group’s profile, the campaign’s goal and the available budget.

At ArrowTur, which has been organizing group travel and corporate events since 1989, we see that choosing the destination is the decision with the greatest impact on an incentive’s success. Below are the main types of international incentive trip destinations for groups traveling from Brazil and the criteria for choosing the best one for your team.

Start with the group’s profile and the goal

Before looking at the map, answer a few questions:

Who is traveling: salespeople, distributors, managers, clients? Are partners coming along?
How many people: small groups allow exclusive experiences; large groups need destinations with solid hotel and transport infrastructure.
How many days: 4- or 5-day trips work better with short flights; with a week or more, long-haul destinations start to make sense.
What message the company wants to send: celebration, exclusivity, adventure, team bonding.
Which documents the group has: not every participant has a valid passport or visa, and that weighs on the choice.

South America: close, practical and full of experiences

South American destinations are the most frequent choice for incentive trips from Brazil, because they combine short flights, a time zone close to Brazil’s and a wide variety of experiences:

Buenos Aires and Mendoza: food, tango, wineries and Andean landscapes.
Santiago and the Atacama: wine, snow in winter and the desert as a striking experience.
Bariloche: snow and winter sports, or lakes and trails in summer.
Montevideo and Punta del Este: beaches, food and a more relaxed pace.

A practical advantage: under Mercosur agreements (the South American trade bloc), Brazilian citizens can enter countries such as Argentina, Chile and Uruguay with their Brazilian ID card in good condition, without a passport. Since document rules change, always check the consular portal of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Portuguese) before the trip.

Caribbean and Mexico: sun, resorts and group-ready infrastructure

For incentives with a celebratory feel, the Caribbean and Mexico offer beaches, all-inclusive resorts and infrastructure ready for groups, with venues for award dinners and organized activities. Cancún and the Riviera Maya, Punta Cana, Aruba and Cartagena are among the most popular destinations.

Pay attention to entry requirements: each country has its own rules on visas, electronic authorizations, passport validity and vaccines, such as yellow fever. This check must be done before announcing the campaign’s destination.

United States: shopping, theme parks and big cities

Orlando, Miami, New York and Las Vegas appeal through their variety of attractions, shopping and entertainment. They work well for groups who enjoy a busy schedule and well-known experiences. The critical point is the visa: Brazilian citizens need a U.S. visa, and the wait for an interview can be long. If part of the group does not have a valid visa, the destination may not be feasible. So check each participant’s situation before choosing the United States as the reward.

Europe: the aspirational reward

Lisbon and Porto, Madrid and Barcelona, Paris and northern Italy make Europe the most aspirational destination for many participants. For Brazilian groups, the shared language makes Portugal easier, and the mix of culture, food and history produces memorable itineraries. On the other hand, flights are long, costs are higher and the trip needs at least a week to be worthwhile. For Schengen Area countries, check the current entry rules, passport validity and the required travel insurance.

Criteria to compare destinations

With two or three destinations on the table, compare them using the same criteria:

Air logistics: direct flights, flight time and seat availability for the whole group on the desired dates.
Time of year: weather, local high season and holidays that push hotel rates up.
Group infrastructure: hotels with enough rooms, venues for the award dinner and reliable local suppliers.
Total cost per participant: airfare, accommodation, meals, tours, transfers, insurance and exchange rates.
Documents: passports, visas and vaccines for every participant, with a deadline to sort out any gaps.
Exclusive experiences: what the group will enjoy that they would hardly experience on a private trip.

International incentive trips with ArrowTur

ArrowTur handles your incentive trip from start to finish: we help choose the destination according to the group’s profile and budget, block flights and hotel rooms, advise on documents and visas, arrange travel insurance, transfers and local experiences and support the group during the trip. Our team works Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Brasília time), with an emergency service outside those hours.

Learn more about our corporate events and incentive trips. To talk to our sales team, call +55 11 5189-4120 or message us on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should we plan an international incentive trip?

Ideally, define the destination when the campaign is launched, which usually means several months ahead. That leaves time to block flights and hotels and to sort out passports and visas.

Which international destination is most practical for a first incentive trip?

South American destinations such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and Montevideo are usually the most practical for groups from Brazil: short flights, a similar time zone and entry with a Brazilian ID card.

What if a winner does not have a passport or visa?

Announce the document rules when the campaign launches and set a deadline to get them in order. For destinations that require a visa, check each participant’s situation before confirming the itinerary.