Exotissimo Travel cracks its brain to help French car manufacturer Citroen’s 270 incentive participants soak in lots of culture and tradition offered by Myanmar’s Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake, writes David Andrews
Citroen showed what an incentive trip truly means when it tirelessly sent nine groups of 30 car distributors and sales managers to Myanmar to reward them for the loans they sold.
The first group arrived in Myanmar on November 13, 2013 and the last departed on March 14, 2014. Exotissimo Myanmar MICE manager, Estelle Vergnes, who managed the ground operations, said: “The incentive house had a real passion for Myanmar and wanted to send its clients there before it became a mainstream destination. It was looking for a mix of authentic culture, beach breaks and interaction with local groups.
“To ensure the clients received an unforgettable experience, it was vital to not just show them the sights, but enable them to interact on a personal level through unique cultural insight.”
Subsequently an itinerary was created – the nine groups had identical itineraries for ease of operation, except where minor changes were made due to flight delays or local weather conditions – whereby the clients could visit the most famous destinations in Myanmar, including Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake, with exclusive dinners and opportunities to meet the locals.
In Yangon, besides simply visiting Shwedagon Pagoda, each participant received a benediction from a Buddhist monk in a pavilion. This early introduction to Buddhist life helped participants to better understand and appreciate the local culture throughout the tour.
In Bagan, it was tempting to just ferry participants around on a horse cart to temples and stupas. To add a unique touch, they were treated to breakfast in a monastery on the banks of the Irrawaddy and cocktails at sunset from the platform of an ancient pagoda. The following evening saw participants taking a mini cruise along the Irrawaddy, stopping at a sand bank for cocktails before releasing hundreds of candles on the water as symbolic offerings.
A highlight was dinner at a local home on Inle Lake. Taking a boat from the lakeside hotel, participants arrived at a traditional wooden Intha house where a host family welcomed them with traditional local food. The home was decorated with candles and oil lamps to create a warm atmosphere.
The following day, lunch was served on a floating barge in the middle of the lake under parasols, a dining experience participants particularly enjoyed.
For the last two days in Ngapali, participants were taken by speedboat to Pearl Island, where they enjoyed BBQ seafood served fresh on the beach, snorkelling and plenty of leisure time. The final evening, a gala dinner on the beach allowed the group to share their experiences as a DJ played soothing melodies. So deep was the engagement that at the airport, some participants cried when saying goodbye to the local guides.
Organiser
Exotissimo Travel
Client
Citroen
Venue
Myanmar
Dates
November 13, 2013 – March 14, 2014
No. of participants
270, split into nine groups visiting over a period of five months
Objective
To provide an escape from the generic commercial offerings where participants could enjoy cultural immersion, beach activities and interaction with the locals
Challenges
Ensuring all nine times of the trip run smoothly, as well as creating an engaging programme so that participants could walk away with an unforgettable experience
Results
The trip met the clients’ expectations, with some participants feeling emotional when departing at the airport
