Why incentive travel hasn’t changed – and why that might be its biggest strength
As Ulterior Events marks 35 years in incentive travel, managing director Graham Alderman reflects on an industry he believes is often misunderstood.
While incentive travel is frequently framed as fast-evolving, Graham Alderman’s view is clear: the fundamentals haven’t changed – and never will.
“Incentive travel’s not evolving,” he says. “Technology’s evolving, the guest experience is evolving, but the concept of the industry is not evolving. “It can’t really, because it’s still all about taking a group of people somewhere memorable, create lifetime experiences, and making sure they get home safely.”
That philosophy is deeply rooted in Ulterior’s history. The business was founded by Alderman’s father more than three decades ago, and Graham himself says he has effectively “lived it for 35 years”.
“My dad was doing this before he set up,” he explains. “So 40 years ago, he’d be taking groups of people, putting them somewhere nice, giving them a wonderful programme and bringing them back. It’s the same now.”
Graham Alderman
Graham Alderman
A legacy built on experience
Ulterior has now delivered group programmes to more than 100 destinations worldwide - a milestone that reflects both longevity and consistency in a sector often chasing the “next big thing”.
But Alderman is sceptical of the industry’s constant search for novelty.
“There’s not a lot of the world that is unknown now,” he says. “It’s not about discovering somewhere new. It’s about whether a destination is ready to handle groups - the restaurants, the service, the infrastructure.”
Instead, he describes a cyclical pattern, where destinations move in and out of favour. Places like Dubai, the Caribbean and Dubrovnik have all had multiple peaks over the years.
“You’ve only got to look at Dubai,” he says. “It boomed, then it dropped off, then it came back again. The same with Barbados - it goes through phases where it’s ‘too expensive’, then everyone goes back.”
What is changing, however, is how clients explore those destinations.
“Clients are interested in new destinations within trusted destinations,” he explains. “Italy’s a prime example – Rome and Venice have always been there, but now it’s Sorrento, Puglia… that’s where the interest is shifting.”
Shorter trips, different expectations
One of the most significant shifts Alderman has seen post-pandemic is not where people go, but how long they go for.
“Long haul hasn’t really kicked back in since Covid,” he says. “Everything’s been short-haul or mid-haul.”
That change is partly logistical, but largely cultural.
“Ten, fifteen years ago, if you gave a sales team five nights somewhere long haul, they were all over it,” he explains. “Now people don’t want to be away that long. They want Thursday to Sunday, or even Friday to Sunday.”
In some cases, programmes have been compressed even further.
“We’ve done one-day incentives,” he says. “Fly into Milan in the morning, Lake Como for lunch, back for dinner at the airport and home by 10pm. No packing, just a passport.”
Personalisation isn’t new
While personalisation is often cited as a defining trend in modern incentive travel, Alderman argues it has always been central to the model.
“There was never a one-size-fits-all,” he says. “Everything we do is bespoke.”
What has changed is the complexity of group dynamics – particularly across generations.
“The biggest difference now is the workforce,” he explains. “You’ve got a mix from 20 to 50. The 50-year-olds might still see it as a big celebration, then you’ve got Gen Z who don’t drink.”
That shift creates new challenges in programme design.
“You don’t want to pitch a full-on party in Ibiza and then find out it’s a group that doesn’t want that at all,” he says. “It’s about understanding the group before you even pitch.”
Perception vs reality
Alderman also highlights how perception - particularly driven by global events and social media - can shape destination demand more than reality.
Reflecting on recent geopolitical tensions affecting the Middle East, he notes how quickly sentiment can shift.
“Two months ago, if someone asked me if Dubai was safe, I’d say yes wholeheartedly,” he says. “Now the question has a completely different connotation.”
He adds: “That’s the challenge. You can’t answer that question. And once perception changes, it takes time to come back.”
This isn’t new. He points to past examples where destinations were avoided due to perceived risk, despite minimal actual threat.
“We had a group going to Istanbul, and eight people couldn’t go because of its proximity to the Syrian border,” he says. “But Istanbul is more than 1,000km from the Syrian border. That’s perception.”
Looking ahead: an end with meaning
As Ulterior enters its fourth decade, Alderman is also thinking about what comes next - not just for the business, but for its legacy.
“I want it to have an end,” he says. “I don’t want to just wake up one day and go, ‘that’s it, we’re done’.”
Instead, he hopes to integrate Ulterior into a larger organisation, allowing its expertise to continue beyond his own involvement.
“I’d love a bigger agency to say, ‘we need an incentive department overnight’,” he explains. “And someone says, ‘I know this company – they’re very good at what they do’.”
For Alderman, it’s about more than a commercial outcome.
“I want the legacy of what my dad started to carry on,” he says. “Even if it’s under a different name, with different people… it still means something continues.”
For now, though, the focus remains unchanged.
“We do what we do, and we do it well,” he says. “We like what we do. And there’s no real plan to change that.”
In an industry obsessed with what’s new, Ulterior’s story suggests that sometimes, the real value lies in what endures.
Graham and Martin Alderman.
Graham and Martin Alderman.