As we look ahead to the new year, a new generation of leaders are on the horizon, eager to reshape the corporate paradigm and reimagine what the future holds.
To attract, retain, motivate and inspire these top performers, incentive travel must go far beyond business as usual—and offer the transformative solutions this new generation seeks.
Across Canada, visionary thought leaders are reimagining incentive travel to offer unique rewards and deeply inspiring experiences your high achievers can’t find anywhere else.
One such leader is Lori McCarthy, chef, outdoorswoman, cultural storyteller and TED speaker, hailing from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador on Canada’s eastern coast.
As founder of Food Culture Place, Lori offers unique cultural food residencies in Mobile, an untouched gem on the Avalon Peninsula, home to small communities and minke whale.
At Lori’s workshop—between a seabird sanctuary and wilderness reserve—and out on rugged island terrain, your high performers will enjoy culinary activities tailored to their own interests.
From seashore foraging, game butchery and wild game cookery to visiting other local chefs, hunters, fishers and elders, your team will be immersed in the island’s traditional food culture.
But there’s more to these experiences than meets the eye.
Lori is fiercely committed to keeping the foods of Newfoundland on plates for generations to come—and passing on the pride to those who will inherit the island's bounty.
In doing so, she is reimagining business events and incentive experiences as an enriching, living practice that leaves a lasting mark on participants and organizers alike.
Lori shared these insights at Destination Canada’s Walk ‘N Talk session at PCMA Convening Leaders, explaining that it’s all about taking care of the past, present and future.
“Thriving means growing, innovating and inspiring. Thriving means aligning every action—big or small—with values that create real impact,” she said.
“In order to thrive we have to take care…to think not just about the present moment, but about the future—about balance, sustainability and taking care.”
In rethinking incentive travel and business events, Lori dives deep into what can motivate participants.
“If we can create a sense of belonging—a feeling that connects people to a place, a moment or a community—then we can inspire them to care. And when people care, they take action.”
This sense of belonging is what makes Lori’s incentive experiences so powerful, driving top performers on a deeper level.
“These experiences, where people stand shoulder to shoulder with community members in their kitchens and fishing shacks—getting their hands dirty and truly engaging—are about so much more than showcasing skills or traditions,” she said.
“When people feel truly connected to a place, they carry it with them long after they leave.”
As Lori sees it, this creates an extraordinary opportunity for incentive travel organizers and the high achievers participating in these experiences.
“This is our moment to rise, to create events that resonate far beyond their timelines, and to leave behind something meaningful, something lasting.”
With visionary thought leaders reimagining incentive travel across the country, Canada is a unique resource of unconventional inspiration—the perfect place for your top performers to find the transformative ideas they need to lead boldly into the future.
Or connect with the team directly:
Jennifer Attersall, Senior Director, Client Engagement, Business Events, Destination Canada
