Not Just a Holiday: Incentive Travel Becomes the New Trend for Companies to Invest in Human Resources
Urbie’s, the trend in corporate travel is undergoing a significant shift. Whereas business trips were once synonymous with formal and packed agendas, companies are now viewing them as part of strategies to build more productive and engaged human resources. One increasingly popular approach is incentive travel programmes, which serve not only as a form of appreciation but also as a tool to enhance employee motivation and performance.
Addressing this need, Golden Rama Tours & Travel is offering Corporate Incentive Travel services, a travel solution designed specifically to support employee reward programmes while strengthening team collaboration. This programme combines tourism experiences with the company’s strategic objectives, making it more than just recreational travel.
Globally, the business travel industry is showing strong growth. Data from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) projects that worldwide business travel spending will reach approximately USD 1.8 trillion by 2027. The Asia-Pacific region is one of the main drivers of this growth, in line with increasing professional mobility and cross-border business expansion.
Moreover, a report from the SITE Foundation reveals that around 55% of global companies plan to increase budgets for incentive travel. This reflects growing confidence in the effectiveness of these programmes in boosting employee loyalty and engagement.
President Director of Golden Rama Tours & Travel, Madu Sudono, explained that companies are now realising the importance of providing rewards in the form of experiences. According to him, incentive travel creates moments of togetherness that strengthen team relationships while significantly increasing work motivation.
“Companies today are increasingly understanding that rewards for employees are not just financial, but also through meaningful experiences. Incentive travel provides companies with the opportunity to deliver experiences that strengthen team togetherness,” he stated.
Several studies also support this. Data from the Incentive Research Foundation shows that incentive travel programmes can improve employee performance by 18–44%. Additionally, these programmes have been proven to enhance loyalty and engagement within organisations.
In Indonesia, this trend is also developing rapidly. Many companies are now choosing international destinations such as Japan, South Korea, China, and various cities in Europe as locations for incentive travel. These destinations are selected because they offer a combination of culture, mature tourism infrastructure, and facilities that support group activities and corporate events.
In line with this, General Manager of Communications & CRM at Golden Rama Tours & Travel, Ricky Hilton, emphasised that experiential travel approaches are now the key to designing effective incentive travel programmes. According to him, travel today is no longer just a tourist visit, but a personal experience that can leave a deep impression on participants.
Golden Rama itself offers an integrated approach in its incentive travel services, from trip planning and customised itinerary development aligned with company goals to managing activities during the trip. This ensures that every programme has a tangible impact, both for employees and the company.
Interestingly, the contribution of incentive travel to Golden Rama’s business also shows a positive trend. In 2025, this segment contributed more than 11% to the company’s total sales, making it one of the important pillars in business growth.
Not only for corporations, this service can also be customised for individuals or private groups who want a more personal and exclusive travel experience. With over five decades of experience and a wide global network, Golden Rama is optimistic that incentive travel will continue to be a strategic solution for modern companies.
Looking ahead, Golden Rama Tours & Travel is committed to continuing to bring innovations in corporate travel services. Not only offering quality tourism experiences, but also helping companies build more solid, collaborative, and competitive teams amid the evolving dynamics of the work world.