Forty technology incentive travellers left behind wintery conditions in New Zealand to experience six days of sunshine, unique location events, ocean activities, paddock-to-plate tastes and tipplers, luxurious pampering, adrenaline-charged pursuits and much more.
The fun kicked off as soon as the group landed at Sunshine Coast Airport with eight gleaming vintage surf vans – seven VW Kombis and a 1946 woody, waiting to take them on a scenic coastal journey. This introductory experience was inspired by the relaxed vibe of the 1960s, with iconic music from the heyday of surfing (think The Beach Boys), and local craft beverages and boutique snacks.
Embracing the idiom that the best things happen unexpectedly, the convoy turned west for a short drive to a luxury country estate. Set in a lush valley encircled with sugar cane and pineapple farms, the historic homestead provided a Gone with the Wind-like experience with a uniquely Australian twist. Paths led past rose-blooming gardens that surround the homestead to an old dairy where delegates could relish at a refresh station that offered shoulder, hand and feet massages plus hot towels and local wellness products. They then feasted from platters that stretched the length of the long lunch table under the estates iconic fig tree before choosing dessert from a gelato cart that featured quintessentially Queensland flavours. Live music, lawn games and laser clay shooting rounded out this outback-by-the-sea experience.
The delegates had every whim catered for during the following three-day Noosa stay in five-star opulence. A destination lunch set amongst the gardens of a spice farm where celebrity chef Peter Kuruvita served a bespoke menu, farm-gate visits, a performance by a modern didgeridoo artist, vintage ferry transfers, wine tastings amongst macadamia groves, Noosa River sports activities, and an exclusive-use lunch at a riverside restaurant were among the offerings.
Success
The result of six months of planning was that 40 pampered technology employees left the Sunshine Coast with big smiles, feeling rejuvenated and rewarded.
A post-incentive survey proved that the delegates felt that the highlights were the paddock-to-plate and farm-to-fork experiences, the Noosa location and the final night gala dinner where guests wriggled their toes in the sand while enjoying pre-dinner drinks as the sun set behind the region’s coloured sands.
The client called the program “world class” with the quality of the elements and the attention to detail second-to-none.
“Our trust in third-party suppliers was made easy thanks to the support and credible reputation of Beyond Experiences and their relationship with local suppliers. Our expectations from planning to execution and wrap-up were exceeded.”
