Planning an incentive around a Category 4 cyclone

Rewards program for a Spanish company

Fast facts

Event: Rewards program for a Spanish company
Date: 7-13 October 2018
Location: Sydney and North Queensland
Venue: Park Hyatt Sydney, Sheraton Grand Mirage in Port Douglas

Guests & Partners

A Spanish distribution company had just one objective for its Australian incentive program involving 69 of its top distributors: make this one better and more memorable than ever before.

The client held a rewards program in a different destination every five years and wanted exclusive buy-outs and private dining experiences in Sydney and Hayman Island in the Whitsundays.

With Arinex’ destination management experts on the ground, a dynamic program was planned – but Mother Nature was about to complicate things. About 18 months before the program was due to start, category 4 Cyclone Debbie devastated Hayman Island and flattened the resort the group had planned to use. An urgent change in plan was needed.

Upon confirmation that the rebuild wouldn’t be completed in time, Arinex carefully renegotiated with the resort to ensure there were no attrition fees, while redesigning the Queensland leg. Given the incentive was taking place during high tourism season, securing exclusive use would be challenging. Arinex navigated this by calling on its local supplier base to source accommodation quickly and was able to secure a buy-out at the five-star Sheraton Grand Mirage – which had recently undergone a $40m refurbishment – in Port Douglas, North Queensland.

Arinex finished building the program around Port Douglas. With the Great Barrier Reef on its doorstep, guests were taken on the vessel Quicksilver Silver Fires for exclusive snorkelling and dive trips, helicopter tours of the coast and on the final evening, a private Flames of the Forest performance with Indigenous performers. It followed a memorable program in Sydney, which included an intimate Operatic performance during dinner at Bennelong Restaurant in the iconic Opera House.