Rewards on track

Companies are spoilt for choice if they wish to plan an incentive in the UAE — from racing cars to desert adventures, opportunities to impress clients are ubiquitous.

Martin Davies, a bank CEO, entertains his clients by bringing out their competitive edges. "Once we took our best clients to the Dubai Autodrome for a fun filled incentive. We had great enjoyment racing each other around the track in karts. They all seemed to enjoy it and it brought out their competitive edge. For a reasonably low cost we created a lot of goodwill with our clients and the feedback was highly positive. Other incentives that have proved popular include an annual client golf event, which is normally held at one of the top courses in Dubai. During the event our clients compete with each other, depending on their handicap, and this is followed by a drinks reception later in the day. The clients really appreciate the opportunity to meet up in a more informal environment."

Marty Fullard, Operations Manager for Al Ain Raceway, sees a lot of clients having fun on the track. Although he admits, "Having raced my own kart back in the UK, it can be tough watching everyone else race around; I'd love to get back out there!"

However, if you have clients who have never raced before, watching them on the track can be a great experience. "To go from obvious beginner to race winner is motivation in itself." And, who knows, your client could be next world champion with the right training from Al Ain Raceway. "Take Mohammed Al Dhaheri, who is a reigning Champion in the DD2 Class," says Fullar. "He represented the UAE at the World Finals in Italy last year, nurtured by us, and [is] now a celebrity in his own right!"

If your clients fancy themselves as a bit of a celebrity then who better an influence than Michael Schumacher and, at Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, they can most certainly unleash their inner Formula One driver in spaces custom-built for group visitors.

Alexandra Lebon, Sales Manager - Events, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, says, "Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has been very popular as the venue of choice for various events. There are a number of theatre spaces and function rooms which can be used for meetings and seminars, in addition to several attractions that can be privatised for group incentives. One notable function at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi was a team building activity for a Belgian corporate group of 200 people which we hosted at Scuderia Challenge, our state-of-the-art racing simulators, where participants raced against each other on a virtual Yas Marina Circuit in teams of eight. Watching how they worked together to organise teams and draw racing strategies in what felt like a championship event was a thrill. I have never seen a more competitive or enthusiastic group!"

But it is not only racing around tracks that is a popular incentive as Justine Thomas-Butler, Manager - Meetings, Incentives, Events for Arabian Adventures, specialises in arranging many other thrilling types of incentives. She admits, "Arabian Adventures creates each programme according to the client's requirements, objectives and profile."

With many companies looking to cut costs nowadays, one of the favourite incentives that Thomas-Butler has ever organised proves howit is the attention to detail that adds true value to any event.

"A lot of people assume that the most expensive elements of a programme are the things that the guests remember," she says, describing how one group that arrived in the evening entered their hotel rooms to find background Arabic music playing, low-level lighting, air conditioning set to the perfect 23 degrees, personalised cards with a gift of Frankincense, a traditional burner and a card explaining the history of the aromatic resin. "The television had a personalised message from their chairman asking them to relax and enjoy their first evening in the Middle East at their leisure. A hot bath was run and ready in each room, with fresh rose petals, candles burning and a bottle of bubbly — what a great way to start an incentive. Guests were still talking about this at the end of the programme," she says.

While such experiences are popular, another of the most favoured destinations is undoubtedly the Atlantis hotel on the Palm Jumeirah.

Cathy Mead, VP, Business Development Group Sales, Atlantis The Palm, says the size, architecture and dimensions of the hotel provide clients with a broad spectrum of venues and experiences. "Everything is possible at Atlantis, Palm! Perhaps the best way to demonstrate the kind of conference experience that Atlantis can inspire is to share the highlights of a recent three-day conference. Delegates participatedin a team building sushi master class at Nobu,an interaction at Dolphin Bay, dined with the 65,000 marine animals in The Lost Chambers and got to grips with their corporate strategyfor 2011," she says.