SITE and Maritz study finds incentive travel remains the top non-cash motivator across all working generations
The study reveals a shifting qualifier profile, a stronger business case and clear design priorities for the future of incentive travel.
SITE (the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) and Maritz have released headline findings from Investigating the Power of Incentive Travel Across Generations, the most current and comprehensive research into how Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z respond to incentive travel, reward and recognition.
The study confirms that incentive travel continues to work powerfully across every generation. At the same time, it shows that who qualifies, how programs are designed and what the reward represents are all evolving.
Travel remains the leading non-cash motivator
When asked to rate nine reward types for motivational impact, individual travel ranked highest across all generations. 61% of respondents described it as “extremely motivating”. Group travel followed at 50%, with both forms of travel outperforming cash, gift cards, points and private or public recognition.
Commenting on the findings, Annette Gregg, CEO of SITE, said, “This research confirms that travel isn’t under threat from cash. If anything, it’s the other way around. Incentive travel remains the dominant non-cash motivator across every generation.”
The strong and measurable business case
The data also reinforces the business value of incentive travel. Among respondents who attended an incentive trip in the past three years, 89% said they were more likely to stay in their job, 89% reported stronger loyalty and 93% said they were eager to win again.
More than half (54%) described the meaning of a group travel experience as “a feeling of achievement,” highlighting that the intrinsic value of winning can be as powerful as the trip itself.
Sarah Kiefer, VP Brand at Maritz, said: “This data matters because it moves the conversation beyond opinions and gut assumptions. Incentive travel isn’t just a nice reward. It’s a real driver of retention, loyalty and future performance. These findings give program owners a strong business case which reinforces something we see all the time—the emotional side matters. When more than half of people say a group travel experience feels like an achievement, it’s clear the impact goes beyond the trip to create deeper connections within the organization.”
A broader, younger, more operational workforce
Based on 1,000 US respondents, with 960 records forming the core analytical base, the research shows that today’s incentive travel qualifier is far broader than traditional industry stereotypes suggest.
60% of qualifiers work in operations or technology, while fewer than 10% work in sales. 80% earn less than US$150,000 annually, 60% hold a college degree and roughly three-quarters have been with their company for less than 10 years. Fewer than 10% work remotely.
The study also challenges simplified narratives around Gen Z engagement. 40% of Gen Z respondents reported winning four or more incentive trips in the past three years, compared with 26% of Gen X and Boomer respondents.
However, group travel is not universally appealing to this audience. 13% of Gen Z respondents said they dislike group travel or traveling with colleagues, compared with 6% of Gen Y and 7% of Gen X. Gen Z respondents were also less likely to say that winning a trip made them feel valued or increased their likelihood of staying in their role.
The message is clear: Gen Z is qualifying and traveling, but programs need to be designed differently.
Designing for success
In response, the study identifies five design priorities for incentive travel organizers:
- Guest inclusion and flexibility are the strongest drivers of how valued, special and loyal winners feel
- First-time destinations consistently outperform repeat destinations
- Recognition must be deliberately designed into the experience, particularly for Gen Z
- Trips of five nights or more, beach, island or adventure themes, moderate group sizes of 11 to 50, and an all-inclusive-plus-activity formats all perform strongly
Program eligibility should expand beyond traditional sales roles to reflect a more operational, tech-focused, multigenerational workforce.
“The next generation of incentive travel needs to be more intentional, more flexible and more inclusive. Guest choice, first-time destinations, built-in recognition moments and experiences that reflect a broader workforce are not “nice-to-have” design details. They are the factors that determine whether a trip feels personal, motivating and worth pursuing,” added Sarah Kiefer. “The message from the research is clear: incentive travel works, but the best-performing programs will be those designed around current and future qualifiers, not who the industry designed for in the past.”
Annette Gregg added: “This research gives our industry a more sophisticated and more compelling story to tell. Incentive travel continues to outperform other non-cash rewards across every generation, but the data also shows that program design has to evolve.
The workforce being motivated by travel today is broader, more operationally focused and more multi-generational than many traditional models assume. That creates a major opportunity for buyers, DMCs, agencies, destinations and incentive professionals to build programs that are more inclusive, more intentional and more effective.
Most importantly, it gives the industry the evidence it needs to defend incentive travel in the C-suite, not as a discretionary reward, but as a strategic tool for motivation, loyalty and performance.”
The research was conducted by SITE and Maritz as equal research partners, supported by Hilton and the SITE Foundation.
Jonathan Richards, President of the SITE Foundation said: “The SITE Foundation is committed to funding research that advances the incentive travel industry and gives professionals the evidence they need to demonstrate value. This study moves the conversation beyond anecdotes, showing how incentive travel motivates a changing workforce and how programs can be designed to deliver stronger outcomes for participants, businesses and the wider industry.”
Download the report here
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