Incentive travel rarely gets airtime in conversations about executive support, yet EAs are often the ones briefing the agency, managing the budget and shaping the experience that becomes a highlight of someone’s year. With the SITE Incentivise Live conference approaching in August, we spoke to someone who’s spent two decades in the industry – including taking over her family’s agency at 25 – about what makes an incentive program work. Meet Mercedes Trautwein, managing director of EVT Incentive Marketing and vice president of marketing for SITE Australia and New Zealand.
Q: Tell us about your path to EVT and your role with SITE.
A: My mother, Virginia Trautwein, founded EVT in 1985 and grew it into one of Australia’s leading incentive agencies. We design and deliver end-to-end incentive programs – strategy, measurement, reward structure and delivery, including incentive travel.
I grew up around the business then left to build my own path in marketing and advertising. I returned after my mother was diagnosed with cancer and she sadly passed away in 2009. At 25, my father, Eugene Trautwein, and I made the decision to continue the business. I became managing director during the global financial crisis and have spent the years since rebuilding it and making it my own. Today I have more than 20 years’ experience in this niche, rewarding industry.
I also sit on the board of SITE ANZ, our local chapter of the global Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, as vice president of marketing.
Q: What is incentive travel and how does it differ from a standard corporate offsite?
A: It’s a reward for top performers, earned through a qualification period. Unlike a conference or offsite, its purpose isn’t education or training. It’s recognition, through experiences participants couldn’t easily create for themselves. Done well, it builds lasting memories and loyalty – and inspires others to earn their place the following year.
Q: What do you wish more EAs knew when briefing an incentive company for the first time?
A: Bring us in early. We add the most value when we understand your objectives, budget, internal processes, audience and what’s worked (or hasn’t) before. The clearer we are on these from the start, the less time we spend guessing and the more time we spend designing something that delivers.
The best programs share a clear strategy: defined objectives, the right audience, a genuinely motivating reward and communication that keeps people engaged from launch to delivery. They fall flat when businesses choose a reward before agreeing on the behaviour they want to drive or underestimate communication along the way.
From a travel perspective, knowing the most memorable trips don’t depend on budget – they’re the thoughtfully paced ones, building anticipation rather than front-loading everything on day one.
Q: What should an EA watch for when a program is being scoped, to keep budget on track?
A: Start with your budget so what’s achievable is clear from day one. Understand how your program criteria is set, so success itself doesn’t blow the budget. If you’re heading overseas, build in contingency for currency movements. And lock in costs (especially flights) as early as you can.
Q: What’s changed most in the industry lately?
Incentive travel resurged strongly after Covid and the conversation has since shifted back to budget and ROI. We’re also seeing much greater focus on risk. Recent conflict in the Middle East has affected routes Australians rely on, so clients are asking more about destination risk and contingency planning and often choosing destinations closer to home.
Itinerary design has shifted too. We used to pack every day with activities. Now, participants want time to explore and relax in their own way as well. That matters even more when partners are included, giving people space to celebrate the achievement and enjoy time together.
Q: Tell us about the Incentivise Live conference. Is it relevant for EAs who aren’t incentive specialists?
A: It’s SITE ANZ’s flagship annual conference, bringing together the people who design, buy and deliver incentive travel to share trends and practical insights, held this year at W Sydney on 18 August. Whether you’re running the whole program or just supporting it, understanding what makes great incentive travel work makes you a stronger partner to your business.
Q: Share your one piece of advice for an EA running their first incentive program.
A: Start with the outcome, not the destination. The best programs begin with one question: what behaviour are we trying to reward? Get that right, and every other decision (who qualifies, where you go, what it looks like) becomes easier. The trip is the reward. The program is what drives the performance.
