Seeking naturally inspired incentive travel ideas?

From natural wonders that take attendees on a scenic detox to competitive fun on an island to wildlife appreciation with a sustainability agenda, these hot ideas for planners will inspire them to resume incentive travel programmes for their talents.

Experience “Great Walks” of natural wonder

Nothing gets the adrenaline flowing and the mind rejuvenated for creative ideas than an escape to the great outdoors with beautiful scenery to appreciate. New Zealand’s series of Great Walks offers sublime trekking trails that allows hikers to get up close with exquisite landscapes, diverse wildlife and rich cultural heritage. These Great Walks can be booked directly via the New Zealand Government’s Department of Conservation website, ranging from day walks to multi-day hikes that cater for every interest and fitness level.

The Rakiura Track takes hikers on a three-day, 32km loop beginning and ending at the Rakiura National Park in the Southland region, suitable for anyone with a moderate level of fitness. Those who are more proficient with mixed terrains can consider the four-day Milford Track or Routeburn Track in the Fiordland region spanning snowy mountains and raging rivers.

Day walks lasting no longer than five hours give trekkers the opportunity to soak in the great outdoors at a more leisure pace. The Cable Bay Walkway in the Nelson/Tasman region boasts sweeping coastal views, while the Roberts Point Track in the West Coast climbs to a viewpoint where the glacier views are spectacular.

Have fun with wildlife conservation

Planners with a sustainability objective may consider booking a tour with Echidna Walkabout, a committed wildlife tour operator in Victoria, Australia. Any one of Echidna Walkabout’s vast variety of wildlife tours or customised private tours incorporates a “Conservation Action”.

A four-day tour in East Gippsland, for example, would involve guests in removing discarded fishing nets and conducting bushfire-recovery wildlife research as they track down wild wallabies, kangaroos, echidnas, parrots, cockatoos, black swans and other Australian animals.

The activities are designed to be fun and easy, and combined, these thousands of small actions undertaken by guests each year make a big impact in Echidna’s conservation efforts, allowing corporate groups to effectively marry corporate social responsibility missions with employee incentive trips.

Find adventure on St John’s Island

Unleash the competitive spirit among your incentive travel attendees by whisking them away to the unspoilt island of St John’s, one of Singapore’s Southern Islands, where teams of five will go head-to-head in an escape game experience.

Visitors will board a ferry from Marine South Pier to travel to St John’s Island where they’ll have the entire 40.5-hectare hilly island to explore, hunt for clues, solve puzzles and eventually unravel the mystery of a fictional scenario.

They will explore landmarks that are rumoured to be haunted, including the giant human chessboard where prisoners of war were believed to have been executed whenever they lost a game of human chess played during WWII.

This unique team-bonding activity is offered by Sentosa as part of its SentoSights tours. There’s a minimum requirement of one group per tour, and each tour maxes out at eight groups, thereby making it an ideal experience for corporate groups from anywhere between five to 40 pax.

Scale Jeju’s colour-changing volcano

Engage local guides who know every nook and cranny of Jeju island to lead delegates in a scenic trek up to the summit of Mount Hallasan, the highest mountain in South Korea, where all of Jeju will lay stretched out beneath them.

The hike up the 1,950m active volcano takes approximately six to eight hours. There are two different hiking trails that will take visitors to the peak, where the crater lake is located. The Gwaneumsa Trail is known to be one of the most picturesque routes on the mountain and houses a campsite at its entrance where hikers can experience forest bathing.

Planners will need to manage the varying fitness levels of their attendees as the steep incline and lava rocks underfoot may make it a challenging climb. Those who succeed in the ascension will be rewarded with a glorious sight that differs season to season.