An elite group of incentive travel professionals enjoyed four days of networking, education and destination immersion at the 2019 Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Incentive Summit Americas (ISA), held March 28-31 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in Whistler, British Columbia.

“Incentive Summit Americas has become a ‘must attend’ boutique event for senior incentive travel professionals,” said Philip Eidsvold, CIS, CITP, president of SITE and vice-president, Strategic Alliances, One10. “Much of its reputation has been built around the incentive quality of the destinations we’ve been to. Whistler adds significantly to this as it offers ‘pure incentive,’ par excellence, along with a wide range of immersive activities and a truly unique experience that’ll resonate for a long time with all our attendees.”

“We’re very pleased to have hosted the 2019 SITE ISA event in Whistler,” said Karen Goodwin, vice-president, Destination & Market Development at Tourism Whistler. “To have incentive travel professionals networking, building relationships together, and experiencing first-hand what Whistler has to offer is so important for our destination. We break the tradition when it comes to incentive travel and go beyond the typical beach destination by offering our guests a different landscape to adventure in, find relaxation, and immerse themselves in our unique mountain culture.”

ISA’s education sessions included presentations by digital media specialist Amy Jo Martin, author of  The New York Times bestseller Renegades Write the Rules, and Matt Jackson, director of Global Events at Lululemon, a manufacturer of upscale, trend creating yoga wear and athletic apparel.

Networking highlights included an immersive evening event in Whistler Village with dinner at the famed Bearfoot Bistro and a “What’s Your Wild”-themed closing night celebration at Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

“A key element of Incentive Summit Americas is the destination itself and the activities it offers. This is where our participants really connect by sharing experiences together that build powerful emotional connections. Whistler offered an awesome range of activities beyond the wonderful downhill skiing so everyone was involved, learning and playing together. This is what incentive travel is all about,” said Kevin Edmunds, chair of ISA and vice-president, AIC Hotel Group.

In addition, the event featured an extensive live auction with proceeds going to SITE Foundation, the association’s education arm. The seven luxury accommodations/activity packages on the block raised more than $30,000–a three-fold increase on the targeted sum.

Building on the success of Incentive Summit Americas, SITE has launched Incentive Summit Europe, the inaugural edition of which will take place April 25-28, 2019 at the award-winning W Hotel, Verbier, Switzerland.

The 2020 edition of Incentive Summit Americas will be held in Beaver Creek, Colorado.