Corporate offsites, incentive trips make a comeback as companies resume travel plans

Bengaluru: Corporate offsites and incentive trips are gathering pace again after a subdued first half of the year, when geopolitical tensions forced many companies to put travel on hold. Businesses are now rescheduling deferred trips and signing off on fresh programmes, with destinations ranging from Goa and Jaipur to Thailand and Japan. From luxury villas and local experiences to sporting events and gala dinners, companies are looking to pack more into the time teams spend together.

Travel firms are reporting a gradual recovery, driven by an increase in leadership retreats, incentive travel and large-scale employee engagement programmes.135410068“Corporate offsites and incentive travel are entering a recovery phase. We are seeing deferred groups being rescheduled and executed alongside fresh bookings for coming months, indicating a gradual return in activity,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head – holidays, MICE and visa at Thomas Cook (India).

Goa and Dehradun are among the popular domestic choices, while international interest spans Japan, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, said Kale. Demand ranges from large-scale programmes for entire teams, with varying budget and accommodation standards, to exclusive, premium experiences for top performers. Planning is becoming more elaborate, particularly for larger groups.

New experiences in demand“Corporate offsites are no longer just team trips. Companies want curated experiences that reflect their brand and objectives, blending team activities with local exploration,” said Raj Rishi Singh, chief operating officer for flights, corporate, Gulf Cooperation Council and marketing at MakeMyTrip. Planning for these programmes now begins three to four months ahead, according to him.

Marquee sporting events such as Formula 1 and international cricket are emerging as attractions around which companies build their offsites; cruises are also gaining corporate interest.SOTC Travel is seeing similar traction. SD Nandakumar, president and country head – holidays and corporate tours at the Mumbai-based company, said Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala remain popular domestic choices, while international demand includes Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Switzerland and the UK.The scale can be considerable — the company recently managed a group with a record number of 7,000 guests in Bangkok.

Large international programmes are being booked three to six months ahead while smaller offsites can be put together in three to six weeks. Not every company, however, is looking at large group tours; luxury villas are finding favour with organisations seeking a more informal setting. Amit Damani, cofounder of luxury villa rental company StayVista, said that the business has seen a 20% year-on-year increase in corporate offsites, drawing clients including Rebel Foods, Aditya Birla Sunlife, PhonePe and Colgate-Palmolive.

“Every day we are having an offsite taking place at one of our villas,” he said. Around 70% of clients are planning 15- 30 days in advance, while some – mostly manufacturing organisations – finalise dates within a fortnight, depending on work schedules. Average budgets are around Rs 10,000 per person per night, with villas within driving distance of Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru drawing interest.

Lonavala, Karjat and Alibag are popular for Mumbai teams, while Coorg, Mysuru and Nandi Hills attract those based in Bengaluru. For companies, the purpose goes beyond a change of scenery. At Revolut India, offsites are designed around collaboration, leadership town halls and problem-solving, particularly given its remote-first model.