Corporate rewards and recognition (R&R) programmes are no longer about gift vouchers, gold coins, or a pat on the back. From Wimbledon to Formula 1 and even cricket on ice in Switzerland, companies are increasingly sending top performers on all-expense-paid experiential trips.
Hero Future Energies, for instance, recently sponsored the winners of its ‘Chairman’s Challenge’ to watch the Wimbledon Tennis Championship, while firms like Mankind Pharma and Sterlite Group are offering key employees luxury trips to international destinations and global sporting events.
Travel operators like Thomas Cook and SOTC say demand for such experiential R&R tours to both domestic and international locations has surged in recent months. “Sports is proving to be a powerful driver for the incentive-reward programmes,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head – holidays, MICE, visa, at Thomas Cook (India).
This July, Hero Future Energies (HFE), Hero Group’s renewable energy arm, sent eight employees to London to watch Wimbledon for their “outstanding performance” in the areas of AI, process automation and digitisation.
“This was a fully sponsored trip covering travel, accommodation, registration, and related expenses,” Bhawna Kirpal Mital, chief HR officer of HFE, told ET.
Companies across industries from pharmaceuticals and information technology (IT) to services sectors and banking, financial service and insurance (BFSI) are increasingly sending employees on domestic and international trips, according to travel companies.
Curated experiences
“What started as a domestic outing, and then exotic international destinations, has now evolved to truly experiential events,” said SD Nandakumar, president and country head – holidays and corporate tours, at SOTC Travel.
Corporates are sponsoring fully paid luxury tours to sporting events like F1 races (Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bahrain, and Italy’s Monza circuits), Grand Slam tennis events such as Wimbledon and the Australian Open, European club football, and cricket, Nandakumar said.
Amid rising corporate demand, Thomas Cook is organising sports-led experiential trips, such as a buy-out of Auckland’s Eden Park for a private corporate cricket match, complete with Indian chefs at live cooking counters, professional commentators, and VIP interactions with celebrity players.
The company grabbed “uber premium grandstand seating” at the British Silverstone F1 Grand Prix, and held private rugby matches in New Zealand, ice-hockey showdowns in Prague, and a cricket match on ice in Switzerland.
“It’s no longer just about travel; it’s about creating transformative journeys that inspire, connect, and celebrate top performers,” Kale said.
Prateek Dubey, global CHRO at Mankind Pharma, said international trips and global event participation are among the firm’s recognition initiatives for employees this year. “The destinations are curated to offer unforgettable and culturally rich experiences — ranging from global cities to iconic events,” he said.
These include select international conferences, leadership summits, Mankind’s flagship Medal Meet. “It also includes immersive experiences that combine leisure with learning opportunities,” Dubey said.
The design and engineering team at Resonia (part of Sterlite Group) recently presented a paper on its Mumbai Urja Marg project at the CIGRE Norway Symposium 2025, said Ruhie Pande, group CHRO of Sterlite Electric, Resonia and Serentica Renewables.
Sterlite Group also sends employees to international conferences for spotting new trends, presenting papers, and attending. Sterlite Group also organises all-expense-paid team off-sites, Pande said.
Hero Future Energies, for instance, recently sponsored the winners of its ‘Chairman’s Challenge’ to watch the Wimbledon Tennis Championship, while firms like Mankind Pharma and Sterlite Group are offering key employees luxury trips to international destinations and global sporting events.
Travel operators like Thomas Cook and SOTC say demand for such experiential R&R tours to both domestic and international locations has surged in recent months. “Sports is proving to be a powerful driver for the incentive-reward programmes,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head – holidays, MICE, visa, at Thomas Cook (India).
This July, Hero Future Energies (HFE), Hero Group’s renewable energy arm, sent eight employees to London to watch Wimbledon for their “outstanding performance” in the areas of AI, process automation and digitisation.
“This was a fully sponsored trip covering travel, accommodation, registration, and related expenses,” Bhawna Kirpal Mital, chief HR officer of HFE, told ET.
Companies across industries from pharmaceuticals and information technology (IT) to services sectors and banking, financial service and insurance (BFSI) are increasingly sending employees on domestic and international trips, according to travel companies.
Curated experiences
“What started as a domestic outing, and then exotic international destinations, has now evolved to truly experiential events,” said SD Nandakumar, president and country head – holidays and corporate tours, at SOTC Travel.
Corporates are sponsoring fully paid luxury tours to sporting events like F1 races (Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bahrain, and Italy’s Monza circuits), Grand Slam tennis events such as Wimbledon and the Australian Open, European club football, and cricket, Nandakumar said.
Amid rising corporate demand, Thomas Cook is organising sports-led experiential trips, such as a buy-out of Auckland’s Eden Park for a private corporate cricket match, complete with Indian chefs at live cooking counters, professional commentators, and VIP interactions with celebrity players.
The company grabbed “uber premium grandstand seating” at the British Silverstone F1 Grand Prix, and held private rugby matches in New Zealand, ice-hockey showdowns in Prague, and a cricket match on ice in Switzerland.
“It’s no longer just about travel; it’s about creating transformative journeys that inspire, connect, and celebrate top performers,” Kale said.
Prateek Dubey, global CHRO at Mankind Pharma, said international trips and global event participation are among the firm’s recognition initiatives for employees this year. “The destinations are curated to offer unforgettable and culturally rich experiences — ranging from global cities to iconic events,” he said.
These include select international conferences, leadership summits, Mankind’s flagship Medal Meet. “It also includes immersive experiences that combine leisure with learning opportunities,” Dubey said.
The design and engineering team at Resonia (part of Sterlite Group) recently presented a paper on its Mumbai Urja Marg project at the CIGRE Norway Symposium 2025, said Ruhie Pande, group CHRO of Sterlite Electric, Resonia and Serentica Renewables.
Sterlite Group also sends employees to international conferences for spotting new trends, presenting papers, and attending. Sterlite Group also organises all-expense-paid team off-sites, Pande said.
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