Event Hewlett-Packard AEC Premium Achievers – South Africa Expedition incentive trip
Organisers MCI Singapore and Ovation DMC South
Africa
Group size 25
Date April 21-27
The brief
Hewlett-Packard wanted to host an incentive trip to South Africa for regional partners who had achieved excellent sales targets. The group was mostly male and came from Singapore, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Challenges
The various departure points from across Asia meant flight plans had to be watched closely so that the group all met in Cape Town, South Africa at the same time. Entry visas were a big challenge due to the different nationalities and the need to get paperwork approved at South Africa’s regional embassies in time.
Planning the schedule from a distance was also difficult, but MCI relied on its global network to help with this issue. “Because I am not based in South Africa it really helped to have our Ovation DMC affiliate office there to make this event happen,” says MCI Singapore event manager Chor Li Ling. “It was the first time we had worked together and we were able to tap into their local expertise on what the destination can offer.
Execution
The group enjoyed a true adventure in Cape Town and its surrounding attractions over a six-night itinerary. First up was a full-day outing to visit Cape Point and Boulders Beach. Day two involved an adventurous “Desert Storm” experience incorporating quadbiking and sandboarding in the Atlantis Dunes, followed by high tea and spa treatments at the iconic Mount Nelson hotel.
Day three was a visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned, followed by lunch and a private tour at the Castle of Good Hope and a trip to Table Mountain. Day four was a visit to the town of Stellenbosch, followed by scenic helicopter flights over the Peninsula. On day five the group visited Aquila Private Game Reserve where they experienced the Big Five – local terminology for seeing a lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros and leopard.
The final night’s BBQ dinner was held at the lodge, followed by a prize-giving ceremony of handmade personalised photo frames made by an underprivileged community in Cape Town.
Comment
Hewlett-Packard was happy with the programme and participant feedback indicated this was one of the best trips they had attended. There were plenty of first-time experiences on offer and the event was so memorable that the incentive winners created a Facebook group and pooled their photos and memories into it.