How AI, Gen Z, and Geopolitics Are Reshaping Incentive Travel
More than 500 incentive travel professionals converged at the new AVA Resort Cancun this week for the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) Invitational, raising just under half a million dollars in the process.
IRF President Stephanie Harris addressed artificial intelligence, positioning it as an ally rather than a threat.
In recent IRF research, 63% of respondents said they either use AI or that they will to support incentive travel planning. The primary uses include private program materials, planning, and forecasting. 'AI is designed to enhance, never to replace,' Harris said.
The core strength of incentive travel remains human interaction, or 'HI,' according to Harris. 'The relationship economy means taking a human-first approach. And as we navigate the increasing mistrust of what's in our email, and what is on our social feeds, actual relationships equal trust. Human interaction equals transparency.' She encouraged prioritizing face-to-face connections, despite slower speeds or inefficiencies, over digital alternatives.
Harris also highlighted the generational transition underway, noting how rapidly shifting tech skill sets are affecting the industry. 'Over the next five years, 39% of the tech skill sets that we have in this room today are going to be outdated,' she said. 'Gen Z is coming in hot, with new ideas and approaches, and they are adept with technology in ways that frequently astonish and sometimes embarrass me.'
Incentive Travel Steady Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty
While geopolitical issues and tariffs were key topics, the overall sentiment was cautious optimism, given the long-term nature of incentive planning.
'So far in '25, there have been a lot of OMG moments, but for the rest of the year, we're really not seeing a lot of big change,' said Janet Traphagen, president of Creative Group, during the closing panel.
'In speaking with our customers, they're definitely hunkering down and looking at long-term strategies like their supply chains,' she added.
Traphagen shared how one client, early in the Trump administration, relocated an incentive trip from the U.S. to the Caribbean. 'But overall, we have not seen a lot of movement. I think this has made people take a breath and say, 'Let's just see what really happens.' So the impact has not been big, but it has not been zero either.'
Another panelist, Chris Johnson, director, global travel and enterprise events at Land O' Lakes, expects continued uncertainty. '2026 is going to have a lot of unpredictability, and probably '27 as well,' he said. 'We need to have some patience and empathy, instead of pushing our top executives to, let's say, get that contract we need signed by next week. Trust me, they're probably not thinking about that event or that contract signature as much as they are about the changing climate within their business.'
New Research from the IRF
Johnson and the other panelists referred to how they use IRF research in their decision-making and planning. Newly released studies focus on Building a Culture of Recognition and European Attendees Preferences, and are free on the IRF web site.
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