CONFERENCE

Global Conference Istanbul

Istanbul, Türkiye, February 2024

  • SITE Global Conference 2024, Istanbul – “Building and Bridging Cultures”

    In February 2023, almost 800 incentive travel professionals gathered in person for SITE Global Conference to celebrate 50 years of incentive travel excellence. It was fitting that our jubilee conference be hosted in New York City, the location of our birth, in 1973.

    In 2024 we will gather in Istanbul, Türkiye, another destination with powerful symbolic significance, sitting at the very crossroads of east and west, mediating two cultures and channeling a heritage whose roots are vast and deep. 

    In the words of English novelist, Susan Moody, “Istanbul (is) the constant beating of the wave of the East against the rock of the West”.

    Istanbul is the perfect destination for a conference seeking to build and bridge cultures, our chosen theme for 2024. 

    During Global Conference, amongst many themes and topics, we’ll explore how incentive travel fosters workplace relations, building corporate culture and ensuring peak performance.

    We’ll also look at how travel experiences, when well designed and executed, can truly transform individuals and organisations, acting as a bridge between cultures, and building tolerance, acceptance and mutual understanding. 

    We're now SOLD OUT! You can register to go on the waitlist below.

    Destination Launch at GC 2023

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    Event & Location Details

    Event Dates: February 26-29, 2024

    Location: Istanbul, Türkiye

    Venue: Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus

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    Host City: Istanbul

    Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, described Istanbul as the meeting point of two worlds”. 

    In 2024 we will gather in Istanbul, Turkey, another destination with powerful symbolic significance, sitting at the very crossroads of east and west, mediating two cultures and channelling a heritage whose roots are vast and deep.

    In the words of English novelist, Susan Moody, “Istanbul (is) the constant beating of the wave of the East against the rock of the West”.

    Istanbul is the perfect destination for a conference seeking to build and bridge cultures, our chosen theme for 2024.

     

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    Connect | Learn | Discover | Shape

    SITE events are built on 4 foundational pillars – connect, learn, discover, shape. 

    In Istanbul, you’ll connect with incentive travel professionals from all over the world, learn the latest from the greatest, discover a scintillating destination and celebrate SITE and the incentive travel industry. SITE has identified several topics and themes that will impact destinations and the entire incentive travel supply chain in 2024 and beyond. 

    Shifting Demographics

    New Technology & AI

    Business Case for Incentive Travel

    Sustainability

    DEIB - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

    These topics and themes will weave a consistent thread throughout the content we craft and curate in 2024 and guide our programming for industry events – particularly our flagship event, SITE Global Conference.

    Join SITE’s global community in Istanbul and share your views on the future of our industry.

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  • WE'RE SOLD OUT!

    Choose to explore Istanbul as part of Global Conference. We have listened to your survey feedback, and the afternoon of February 28 will now include optional DESTINATION IMMERSION TOURS. All prices are listed in USD$.

    Our super early bird and early bird rate windows are now closed.

    (All rates include destination immersion, but you can select an afternoon at leisure):

    Category

    Rate

    Dates

    SITE Member
    Regular (includes destination immersion) $1295 December 5 until event
    Non-Member (includes a Professional Membership in SITE for 2024 - welcome to the community!)
    Regular (includes destination immersion) $1750 December 5 until event
    Non-Member (excluding membership)
    Regular (includes destination immersion) $1650 December 5 until event
    Students - Member & Non Member
    Student (does NOT include destination immersion) $695 Flat rate

    FOR STUDENTS: If you would like to attend at the discounted rate above, please email SITEevents@mcveigh.com for a discount code which can be applied during the registration process.

    Registration Cancellation Policy

    If cancelled before December 8, 2023 11:59pm EST - 100% of the registration fee is refundable.

    If cancelled from December 9, 2023 12:00 am EST to January 19, 2024 11:59 pm EST - 50% of the registration fee is refundable.

    No refunds are payable after January 20, 2024 12:00am EST onwards.

    Please note if you pre-register and do not attend the conference you will be charged your participation fee and will be required to settle any outstanding balances.

    Changes and substitutions of registration:

    Substitutions/replacements can be made up until February 12, 2024 11:59 pm EST and are subject to a $50 administrative fee.

    Notification of changes or cancellation must be made in writing and sent to the SITE Delegate Services Team at siteevents@mcveigh.com.

    Cancellation and refund policy:

    All applicable refunds will be made after the conference.

    Financial service charges and all administration fees will be deducted from all conference registration refunds.

  • Connect | Learn | Discover | Shape

    SITE events are built on 4 foundational pillars – connect, learn, discover, shape.

    Building enduring relationships and connections, networking and increasing your global reach, these are core benefits that stem from attending SITE’s global conference.

    The inspirational backdrop of Istanbul enriched by the secret sauce of SITE’s event management will ensure that you share memorable experience with your new connections.

    SITE has identified several topics and themes that will impact destinations and the entire incentive travel supply chain in 2024 and beyond.

    These topics and themes will weave a consistent thread throughout the content we craft and curate in 2023 and 2024 and guide our programming for industry events – particularly our flagship event, SITE Global Conference. They will also inform our research initiatives and frame our partnerships and priorities.

    These apply across the full spectrum of our industry to companies of all sizes and locations, and are broad enough for local interpretation and adjustment as issues arise.

    Why attend an event like Global Conference?

    Session Tracks

    • Shifting Demographics

      The workforce is rapidly changing. Not only did the greater hospitality industry see a massive turnover since the pandemic, but a Deloitte study undertaken in the USA predicted that by 2025, 75 percent of the workforce would be under 40 years old.

      How does this new generation of entrants into the incentive travel and business events industries affect program design, service delivery, and participant preferences? These questions and others will need to be addressed as all hospitality companies face the need for refreshed training, succession planning and future-proofing.

      And what about destination selection? Living in the era of the democratization of travel, most millennials have been everywhere already – what destination experiences do they prize and crave?

      Finally, this generational shift also means there are four (sometimes five) active generations in the workplace and at our incentive travel programs, creating a challenge to design programs, activities and experiences that resonate for all.

    • New Technology / AI

      Core to incentive travel are unforgettable destinations and experiences. With this in mind, how does augmented reality aid or threaten our industry?

      Other advancements in artificial intelligence like ChatGPT are altering routine activities like copywriting and marketing. Can the incentive travel industry understand and exploit these innovations?

      Can virtual enhancements make a destination come alive and drive more excitement from qualifiers?

      How can artificial intelligence help incentive professionals customize and personalize experiences to make them even more powerful?

    • Business Case for Incentive Travel

      In the last few decades, the incentive travel and wider business events industries have experienced massive disruptions: recessions, pandemics, political conflicts, as well as radical changes to the nature and purpose of work.

      These disruptions have threatened global travel, causing a contraction in programs, staff levels and valuable business revenue. However, they have also caused new opportunities as corporations re-evaluate how they connect with, and onboard workers, particularly ones that work remotely.

      The business case for incentive travel has always been ROI – by using incentive travel as part of your reward and recognition program, you generate a multiple returns.

      But are new “business cases” now emerging as incentive travel, increasingly, is used to promote soft power in organisations – better staff / management relationships, better modelling of company culture etc

      What tools does the incentive travel industry have to justify the business case for incentive programs and face-to-face events? What resources do we have that include quantitative data on business growth, as well as qualitative data on the power of relationships?

    • Sustainbility

      The global landscape is constantly changing, with shifts in political stability and destination accessibility but questions around environmental sustainability are now multiplying.

      While the focus on sustainability amongst US incentive travel professionals remains relatively weak, in other global regions it is both intense and strong

      While the democratization of global air travel opens up new options for qualifiers, in some global regions, Flygskam or “flight shaming” is increasingly a topic for debate.

      Can incentive travel prevail and prosper in such a context? What does “sustainable incentive travel” look like?

    • DEIB: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

      A more diverse, welcoming industry benefits us all. While we try to make the business events industry more inclusive and diverse, we still see inequities in key areas like leadership, wages and hiring.

      What needs to be done on the systemic, company and personal fronts to provide fair access for all?

      Are we keeping a pace with radical changes in the corporate world, where environmental, social, & governance (ESG) concerns are increasingly shaping choices and budget allocations — with increasing legal obligations, too?

    Pillar: CONNECT

    Networking at SITE Global Conference, Istanbul, Türkiye

    Building enduring relationships and connections, networking and increasing your global reach, these are core benefits that stem from attending SITE’s global conference.

    The inspirational backdrop of Istanbul enriched by the secret sauce of SITE’s event management will ensure that you share memorable experience with your new connections.

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    learn

    Pillar: LEARN

    SITE Global Conference: Educational Program

    Education at SITE Global Conference involves keynotes and plenaries, peer-to-peer learning, case studies, updates on shifts and trends, presentations on the latest research using traditional, experiential and experimental formats.

    Our educational program is pertinent and relevant both personally and professionally.

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    Pillar: DISCOVER

    Destination immersion at SITE’s Global Conference, Istanbul

    SITE events immerse you deeply in destinations, connecting you with authentic, local experiences that reflect the true heart and soul of the destination.

    With our local partners we have curated a series of engaging “deep dives” channelling this pulsating, dynamic, energetic city, introducing you to creative people, cool places and things you’ve never seen or done before.

    Discover Puerto Rico
    discover
    young leaders
  • Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors

    Our industry has a compelling story and so does your organization; SITE can serve as your partner in telling your story and achieving your sales and marketing goals. 

    Contact our Head of Business Development, Samantha Nicastro, to access our Global Conference Prospectus and learn more about available opportunities to achieve your marketing goals in 2024 and beyond.

    Contact Details

    Samantha Nicastro

    Head of Business Development

    SITE Global

    Email: snicastro@SITEGlobal.com

    Telephone: +1 516 467 6982

    Host Partners

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    Sponsors

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  • Host Hotel

    Our host hotel for SITE Global Conference is the Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus. Melding traditional Turkish style with modern design, our hotel rises above Istanbul with panoramic views of the city and the Bosphorus Strait. Discover exceptional amenities like our relaxing Spa Soul, indoor and outdoor pools, and tennis club. 

    You’ll find details on rates and how to book below.

    • Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus

      Cihannuma Mah Saray Cd, No5 Besiktas, Istanbul, 34353, Turkey

      Description

      Turkish opulence with incredible views. Melding traditional Turkish style with modern design, our hotel rises above Istanbul with panoramic views of the city and the Bosphorus Strait. Discover exceptional amenities like our relaxing Spa Soul, indoor and outdoor pools, and tennis club.

      Rates

      MEMBERS

      Per room per night is 220€ (approximately $232 USD).
      To book your hotel stay, click the "Make Reservation" link below.

      Make Reservation

      NON-MEMBERS

      Per room per night is 310€ (approximately $327 USD).
      To book your hotel stay, click the "Make Reservation" link below.

      Make Reservation

    Official Airline Partner

    Turkish Airlines is the official airline of SITE Global Conference, special discounts are offered for all delegates. They have generously offered SITE Global Conference attendees a 20% discount off Business Class airfares and 15% off Economy Class

    To proceed with the online booking tool, please visit Turkish Airlines promocode website and use the event code 010TKM24 under the Promotion code section. N.B. The promo code needs to be re-entered a second time at the end of the booking process, before purchase, to see the discounted amount. 

    26 Feb, 2024, 12:00 pm - 29 Feb, 2024, 9:00 am



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