Happy employees are more productive — 12% more productive(opens in a new tab) to be exact. With a wealth of findings on the subject, employee satisfaction is now a major concern. Companies are waking up to the importance of a positive corporate environment, with big players like Google leading the way in offering company perks. There has been an increased demand for novel ways to improve motivation in the workplace, as well as to build confidence, trust, and company relationships. For tour operators, offering corporate events(opens in a new tab) is an exciting way to meet this increased demand while also adding an extra revenue stream to your business. Whatever area your business specialises in now, there is likely an avenue you have yet to explore. Your offerings may not appeal to every employee you get through the door, but the following options are unique alternatives to the standard company picnic and involve relatively low start-up costs.
1. Foodie Events – Crowd Pleaser
Food and drink experiences are a fantastic option for a team building experience with a difference. As a tour operator, you can go as mellow or wild as you like with a culinary tour. Cooking classes or wine tasting tours are more low key and often take place in one location — saves shuttling large groups across a city. You could also opt to have a dedicated meeting room on the premises for out-of-office presentations/meetings. Other options include chocolate-making classes, cocktail classes, pub crawls (though these may not be the easiest to manage), and blind food/wine tastings(opens in a new tab).
Fork and Walk Tours(opens in a new tab) Berlin is a great example of a tour company offering customisable events for professional groups.
2. Outdoor Events – Escape the Office
What better way to shake off the cobwebs and get some air in your lungs than with a tour in the great outdoors? Perhaps being stuck in a field or out on the open water with your boss is not everyone’s idea of fun, but outdoor activities are a fantastic excuse to leave the office and interact with colleagues in a unique environment. Teambuilding.co.uk(opens in a new tab) are a company who do all kinds of outdoor activities — everything from treasure hunts to boat charters — and they do them well. Whatever you choose, outdoor events provide the ultimate office escape.
Here are some activities for inspiration:
Boat charters: https://www.boatbookings.com/yachting_content/events.php(opens in a new tab)
Country activities (archery, clay pigeon shooting): https://www.eventurous.co.uk/team-building/outdoor-team-building-3/country-pursuits/(opens in a new tab)
3. Pay it Forward Events – For Millennials
If a company is young and has a workforce to match, they will likely find value in giving back. According to Forbes(opens in a new tab), millennials are leading the way in corporate volunteering. While charity events/activities may require some additional research and work, offering a more rewarding experience could go a long way with millennials. In fact, the movement is so popular now that companies are even offering paid time off (opens in a new tab)for employees to partake in volunteering opportunities. Of course, as a tour operator, you want to make a profit: so why not donate a percentage of the profits to a good cause, or create something for your community? Giving back to the beauty of your area drives tourism to the region and contributes to its maintenance, all while adding an additional revenue flow to your business. Other companies have created events such as Bike Build Donation(opens in a new tab), Charity Gameshow(opens in a new tab), and Bears and Blankets(opens in a new tab). Many companies also offer the option of creating a completely customisable event.
If you’re interested in running a charitable event but don’t know where to start, here is a guide(opens in a new tab) on how to organise a voluntary event.
4. Adventure Events – For the Adrenaline Junkie
This is one that will have corporate groups talking for months! Adventure trips that require teamwork are the ultimate combination of fun, competition, and communication. Offering an activity that gets groups battling against each other forces employees to band together and work collectively. Adventure Hershey’s(opens in a new tab) run adrenaline-inducing corporate events such as laser tag, room escape games, obstacle courses, and go-karting competitions. If you think you could handle running a more intense adventure experience, take a leaf out of Outdoor Adventure Club’s(opens in a new tab) book and go one step further by taking your group hiking, mountain biking, orienteering, and even snowshoeing!
5. Sporting Events – Entertain Clients
Sporting events bring people together. Picture this: you’re in the office working on a presentation and in the background you hear your colleagues talking about the NBA. Not out of the ordinary, is it? More often than not, office culture revolves around the latest sporting event, be that the Superbowl or World Cup.
Here is where, as a tour operator, you can appeal to the market. Companies such as Pro Sports Travel(opens in a new tab) offer transport to and from sporting events of your choice. You tell them where you want to go, they drive you, they clean up after you, and of course entertain you throughout the day. Along with employees, this is a great option for entertaining overseas clients. Alternatively, Active Arena offer corporate tournaments (opens in a new tab)and team building programs for those who’d rather get their hands dirty (instead of watching from a stadium).
A Few More Ideas Worth Mentioning
There are infinite possibilities available to tour operators looking to target corporate groups. The above categories are a surefire way to appeal to a large segment of the market, but this list is by no means exhaustive. There are simply too many ventures to mention in one post, so we couldn’t help but add a few more unique ideas for you to check out on your own:
Museum and art tours: https://www.artsmart.com/corporate-events-art-tours/(opens in a new tab)
Murder mystery dinner/weekend: http://www.murder-mystery-uk.com/(opens in a new tab)
Dance classes: https://www.corporatedance.co.uk/(opens in a new tab)
Wall street experience: https://www.thewallstreetexperience.com/corporate-events/(opens in a new tab)
If you have further questions about running a corporate tour, or if you’d like a new website to go with your corporate venture, please don’t hesitate to get in touch(opens in a new tab)!
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