3 reasons why group dining is the perfect motivational event

Surprisingly, while sightseeing and free time are important components of group travel incentives, group meals are the most important.

When the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) and the SITE Foundation asked which activities were key to incentive program success in their 2024 Incentive Travel Index, who would have thought that group dining would be at the top of the list? But in fact, 51% of respondents believe group dining is the most important activity, although group cultural sightseeing experiences are closely followed by 50%. Group dining also jumped two places in the ranking of the most popular activities among attendees, from third place in 2023 to first place in 2024.

Why are group dining so popular for travel incentives?

1. Build relationships, collaboration and teamwork. Eating together makes it easier for people to relax and socialize, thereby strengthening camaraderie and community. When they eat together, they tend to learn more about each other outside of their work roles. Often, the content shared during a group dining experience, while not directly related to work, can provide insight into people’s thoughts and values, which in turn can translate into better understanding and collaboration when they return to their jobs This makes teamwork more effective. Offices – Offices are increasingly in the spotlight after pandemic shutdowns eroded workplace relationships and collaboration. In fact, according to the Incentive Travel Index, relationship building is another important activity for a successful program, and group dining can foster stronger social connections.
2. Experience the local culture. Cultural engagement is also key to the success of incentive travel programs. Group dining experiences during incentive travel also provide participants with an easy way to immerse themselves in the local culture as a group. The rising importance of experiential activities also coincides with the trend of group dining incentives, especially for today’s experience-oriented younger generation.
3. Attracting the next generation. Speaking of younger generations, Millennials and Gen Z are starting to get seats on these incentive travel programs; group dining caters to the younger generation’s preference to try local ethnic cuisine. Younger generations also seem to appreciate the benefits of dining in large groups, whether at home or on the go. If a group dining venue is Instagram worthy, even better! Millennials and Generation Z are often very fond of group selfies and sharing their collective dining experiences through social networks.

Any group dining event that gives attendees the opportunity to immerse themselves in local culture and cuisine while getting to know each other on a more personal level will be well worth the money. However, if you want to increase your impact, consider having participants learn how to cook local specialties from a culinary expert who can help them learn new ingredients and techniques while also providing the stories behind the local specialties. Collaborative challenges like cooking competitions can also inspire team-building experiences by having participants work together to creatively solve problems to arrive at delicious solutions.

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