According to a Travel & Merchandise Incentive study conducted in early 2007 by the Incentive Federation “The incentive industry is a $46 Billion business including travel and merchandise incentives.” The Incentive Federation recommends, “Companies struggling to find efficient and cost effective business incentives should consider a business development strategy that is flourishing across myriad industries: travel and merchandise incentives, now a $46 billion industry” as stated above.
2007 Incentive Federation Travel & Merchandise Incentive Study Summary Findings:
- Incentive travel is seen as an investment by 85% of all end-users in the study. Merchandise incentives are seen as an investment by more than three-fourths of respondents.
- Thirty-four percent of U.S. companies used either incentive travel or merchandise incentives in 2006. Almost one third (31%) of companies used merchandise incentives while 10% used incentive travel.
- Close to half (48%) of companies with revenue over $100 million use merchandise incentives and just under a quarter (24%) of these companies take advantage of incentive travel.
- Merchandise incentives are most often used for non-sales employee recognition and business gifts.
- The typical budget for merchandise incentives last year was $119,008. Almost half of the merchandise incentive users spent between $100,000 and $500,000.