Bosnia and Herzegovina is the leading country in the region considering the number of certified experts for incentive trips as part of the global Certified Incentive Specialist (CIS) program.
USAID Turizamand Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in collaboration with SITE Global company, organized a professional training dedicated to incentive trips. These trips, also known as incentive travel, belong to the niche of business tourism, or MICE tourism. This form of travel is increasingly represented among global corporations, with the primary intention of motivating and rewarding their best employees, partners, clients, or celebrating business successes.
What is the CIS program and why is it important for Bosnia and Herzegovina?
In an exclusive offer from SITE Global company, Bosnia and Herzegovina had the opportunity for the first time to strengthen its tourism staff through the unique CIS program. The full name of this program is Certified Incentive Specialist, which translates to certified expert for incentive trips. Through CIS, qualified tourism workers had the opportunity to master the basics of selling and organizing top incentive travel. The training program lasted two days, led by incentive travel experts from SITE Global company, Pat Sandall and Michael Dalton.
Upon completion of the two-day education, participants had to take an exam, after which they received globally recognized certification. However, the most important aspect of this education is that experts who complete the CIS program will be strategically positioned in organizing incentive trips and understand the psychology behind such trips, including the additional values they provide.
Although incentive trips are becoming more popular around the world, they are still unknown in the wider tourism value chain in BiH. As a result, the program is designed to clearly demonstrate the significance of all connections in the tourism value chain, highlighting responsibilities ranging from tourism service providers to great destination management companies (DMCs).
As the country continues to improve its tourism offer, similar programs like CIS enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to showcase all the potentials for further development of MICE tourism through trained staff. This education attracted employees in the private tourism sector who work in sales and marketing in hotels and destination management companies (DMCs).
CIS program an "ID" in the world of incentive travel
A total of 29 employees in the tourism sector completed this unique education, and in addition to recognized certification, they also received greater responsibility, as the CIS program is an “ID” for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the world of incentive trips. Currently, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the country with the highest number of certified experts for incentive trips in the entire region, within the global CIS program. As an undiscovered country in the niche of MICE tourism, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s competitive advantage is its unique potential for holding meetings, as well as realizing incentive trips and events in a completely natural environment and intriguing cultural heritage.
