It’s time to rethink traditional event gifting…
Creating an unforgettable incentive trip goes beyond just the right location or itinerary—it’s about crafting experiences that leave a lasting impact. Traditional souvenirs and branded swag rarely capture the heart of a destination, and let’s be honest, they’re often not worth the extra luggage space for your winners.
Instead, imagine immersing participants in the local culture with a curated artisan market, offering them the chance to select their own handcrafted treasures. This approach not only gives attendees unique keepsakes, but also directly supports the local community.
Talk about a win-win.
We’re going to tell you exactly how bringing in local artisans can elevate your next incentive trip and create an experience your winners will never forget.
Our team at Achieve recently worked with a client to plan their incentive trip to Costa Rica, where they wanted a standout event gifting experience that would also support the local economy. Instead of transporting their 500 attendees to a market—which would be costly and logistically complex—we collaborated with partners in the Papagayo region to bring the market to them.
The result? A pop-up artisan market right in the hotel, complete with local crafts, sustainability-focused products, and direct interactions with artisans.
Here’s how we brought this vision to life:
- Curated Artisan Selection: We partnered with local artisans whose work authentically reflected Costa Rican heritage and culture.
- Custom, Branded “Play Money”: Our design team created custom “funny money” branded to the client’s event, adding a memorable touch.
- On-Site Market Setup: Each artisan set up a table in the hotel’s ballroom, showcasing beautiful designs, from hand-painted canvases and ceramics to locally made jewelry and coffee brewed with handmade chorreadores.
Fun fact: A chorreador is a traditional Costa Rican coffee-making device used to brew coffee by hand. It consists of a wooden stand holding a cloth filter (called a bolsa or “sock”) that coffee grounds are placed into. Hot water is poured over the grounds, and it slowly drips through the cloth filter into a cup or pot below, creating a smooth, rich brew.
- Setting the Vibe: To bring the local atmosphere to life, we played traditional Punto Guanacasteco music from the Guanacaste province. The lively marimba, guitars, and traditional percussion celebrated Costa Rica’s rich folklore and energized the market setting.
- Show Time! As attendees and their guests entered the vibrant market, they were greeted with their branded currency and a locally produced chocolate bar. Each bar’s packaging told the story of its “bean-to-bar” journey, enhancing the event’s attention to detail and giving attendees a taste of Costa Rica’s artisanal traditions.
And what a show it was! The artisan market’s overwhelming success aligned with a recent study by the Incentive Research Foundation, which found that authentic cultural experiences leave a strong impression on incentive travelers, especially well-traveled participants. Attendees loved this unique touch, noting how the market “made the experience unforgettable” and expressing pride in supporting local artisans. One attendee even shared, “The creativity and talent on display were so inspiring. Now I have pieces in my home that tell a story!”
This gifting experience also created a meaningful social impact for the community. Artisans collectively earned $15,000 in one day—with many of them sharing that their earnings in just a few hours surpassed what they would typically make in two months. Better yet, rather than spending on inauthentic or imported gifts, or tourist trinkets, our client invested directly into the local economy, creating a win-win situation for everyone.
Our approach exemplifies how thinking differently can lead to extraordinary results:
- More Impactful Spending: Instead of paying over $5,000 to an overseas shipping broker, as done the previous year, the money was reinvested into the local community—creating significant cost savings while supporting local growth and impact.
- Authentic Connections: Guests interacted with artisans, learned about their crafts, and left with items tied to the local culture.
- Long-Lasting Memories: The gifts became stories, reminding attendees of their meaningful interactions and the destination’s rich heritage.
- Sustainable Sourcing: Our client brought values of sustainability to life by choosing responsibly crafted (and incredibly special) souvenirs.
- Win-Win Approach: By prioritizing experiences over things, our client created an event that left a lasting impact on both their attendees and the destination.
It’s gifting with purpose, and that’s what makes incentive trips truly memorable.
This personal connection with the artisans and their crafts made the event unforgettable, leaving each attendee with not just a unique gift but a story that will continue to resonate long after the trip ended. Plus, many parents commented how this experience allowed them to find unique, thoughtful gifts for their children—without the last-minute rush for generic souvenirs at the airport.
Thanks to our relationships with local partners, we brought this vision to life cost-effectively, turning a simple gifting experience into a meaningful event. As we continue to support clients in delivering high-impact programs, we’re inspired by the role these experiences play in connecting guests to the essence of a destination while supporting local economies.
Are you ready to create an unforgettable experience that supports local communities and leaves a meaningful impact on your attendees as well as the destination you’re visiting?
