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You could put up with the long hours, the lengthy meetings and the last-minute assignments if you knew your hard work would pay off. Especially if the payoff were an incentive trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea. If it's anything like the postcard, the much-celebrated beauty mark on the coastline between Los Angeles and San Francisco boasts spectacular scenery that truly makes it "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world."
Carmel is a charmer graced by more than just a pretty face. She is also one of the greatest destinations for incentive travel in the world.
Employers can bank on the motivation of a week or weekend in a place where guests can park their car at the inn or hotel and never need it again until they head home. A place where fashionistas can find everything from haute couture to cool casual, and souvenirs range from trinkets to Tiffany. A place where golfers can get serious or just get in some serious fun on any of several championship courses.
It's a place where the day begins with sunrise over the Santa Lucias, a steaming cup of coffee and a scone. From there it slows down to a stroll along the shore, followed by a soothing day spa experience, a lingering lunch at the cafe on the corner and a nap. Or a round of golf. Or a little wine tasting. Or a film in the forest. Or a concert in the Sunset Center. Followed by a four-course meal at a choice of restaurants among the more international mˇlanges of fare. A place that ends with the signature green flash as the sun sinks into the horizon. And a nightcap at the Mission Ranch.
It's also a sure bet for business travelers, meetings and retreats.
David Gompertz had both an opportunity and a problem. In planning a visit to Carmel with corporate clients, he had mitigated the family fall-out of "yet another business trip" by bringing his wife and two young children along. Yet, when clients included his wife in an invitation for a round of golf she realized the limits of tag-along travel. With two small kids in tow, she was along, but not for the ride.
Gompertz simply rented a room in Carmel and called Corporate Kids Events, a locally based operation that provides fun and games, arts and crafts and, most importantly, credentialed caretakers for anywhere from one to 1,000 kids.
"The sitter arrived with a box of art supplies, a bag of toys and credentials up the wazoo," Gompertz said. "She seemed genuinely happy to see my kids. She dressed them, fed then, and got them to take a nap. Bottom line; they were happy, and so were we."
It's no wonder those who come for the conference tend to stay through the weekend. And those who want to raise the bar on employee productivity know that Carmel is the carrot that gets the job done.
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For a list of meeting facilities in Carmel-by-the-Sea, click here.
Or, contact the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau on the web at http://meet.montereyinfo.org/ or call or email one of the following contacts:
Justin Azevedo, 831-657-6421, justin@mccvb.org
Summer Emmons, 831-657-6403, summer@mccvb.org
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