Crazy. Irresponsible. What company would risk group travel with COVID out there? One company decided to ask their top producers, their incentive-trip winners, if they were ready to travel again. The overwhelming response was…¡Vamos a México!
Our client company is smart. They’ve experienced first-hand the incomparable motivation, passion, and connection world travel generates. With over a year since their last company adventure, and with their sales team pumped at the prospect, they decided to lead out. Not only do businesses need any boost they can get these days, but if anybody was going to get group travel going again, why not them? With so much to gain and with such incredible deals available, the reward outweighed the potential risk.
So it was on! Destination: Hard Rock Resort Los Cabos. Energized by the opportunity, the sales team amped up their goals and qualified for the prize.
Then the CDC Had Their Say
Within one month of departure, the CDC came out with a bombshell of an announcement. As of this writing, all travelers must have a negative COVID-19 result or documentation of recovery before they board a flight to the United States. While qualified event attendees and their guests knew the risks of traveling, they now faced the chance of getting stuck in Mexico and being quarantined at the hotel. Couples with dependents at home, or other work and family commitments, found themselves at new crossroads—go to Mexico and enjoy the fruits of their labors…but possibly get stuck hoping Grandma could watch the kids for 10-14 additional days.
Creative Solutions & Solid Partnerships
We immediately went to work to salvage as much of this trip as we could. Many needed to cancel due to personal circumstances. Others were still enthusiastic and eager for creative solutions. We worked with our hotel partners and a local third-party hospital to put together a testing plan so that our group could not only meet the CDC guidelines for returning home, but that they could confidently hold a large party/concert event while ensuring that all in attendance were COVID-19 free. We were able to negotiate with our partners a testing plan that did not cost the traveler or our client anything extra out of pocket while testing several hundred guests in a 14-hour period.
Event Miracle or Just Great Planning?
The Destinations Team along with our amigos at Hard Rock Los Cabos pulled off a miracle. Every guest that attended the Big Event was verified COVID-19 free. Results were emailed out within an hour of taking the test, and the guests had all the documentation they needed for their return trip home. With travel the life-blood of so many communities, Mexico and our partners at Hard Rock Resorts have a commitment to travelers—expect the cleanest and safest experience possible!
And they provided it. Boating under El Arco, sending up sand on an ATV, horseback riding along Lovers Beach at sunset, dropping a perfect putt, and lazing about poolside—our participants had the essential Cabo experience. And they did it safely.
So was it a miracle? Or just great planning? Maybe a little of both.
Either way, it was proof that with bold, creative, and determined partnerships, large group travel to incredible Cabo San Lucas is absolutely possible!
