Exploring Corporate Incentive Destinations in 2025: Trends & Top Picks
Exploring Corporate Incentive Destinations in 2025: Trends & Top Picks. Corporate incentive have always been a strategic tool for boosting employee motivation and rewarding top performers. As we look towards 2025, the landscape of corporate incentive destinations is evolving to meet new expectations and preferences, blending business with unique experiences. Here’s a glimpse of the emerging trends and top destinations that are capturing the attention of business leaders and employees alike. 1. Blending Business with Wellness In recent years, there’s been a significant shift towards wellness-focused trips, and this trend is expected to dominate in 2025. Companies are increasingly seeking destinations that offer relaxation and rejuvenation, along with team-building activities and seminars. Popular spots include: – Bali, Indonesia: Known for its serene landscapes, endless beaches, and wellness retreats, Bali offers a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. – Costa Rica: Known for its lush rainforests and eco-resorts, Costa Rica is ideal for those seeking a connection with nature and opportunities for adventure sports. 2. Adventure and Sustainability Eco-consciousness and sustainability are becoming central to corporate planning. Companies are choosing locations that not only offer unique experiences but also align with global sustainability goals. – New Zealand: With its stunning natural landscapes, New Zealand provides eco-friendly adventure activities, such as hiking, bungee jumping, and skydiving, making it an exciting destination for thrill-seekers. – Iceland: Known for its breathtaking scenery, Iceland offers an array of outdoor activities, like glacier hiking and hot spring tours, ensuring an unforgettable experience while focusing on eco-friendly tourism. 3. Cultural Immersion Experiencing diverse cultures is another motivation for corporate travels. Organizations are opting to immerse their employees in rich cultural environments that foster creativity and open-mindedness. – Kyoto, Japan: A hub of traditional and modern culture, Kyoto provides historical tours and authentic culinary experiences that allow participants to appreciate the intricate tapestry of Japanese society. – Marrakech, Morocco: With its vibrant souks and stunning architecture, Marrakech offers cultural tours that engage and inspire employees, creating a unique narrative to their incentive journey. 4. Tech and Innovation Hubs For tech-savvy companies, visiting tech hubs and centers of innovation is a great way to inspire employees and spark creativity. – Silicon Valley, USA: A visit to this iconic tech hub provides an opportunity to learn from industry leaders, explore tech innovations, and network with startups. – Seoul, South Korea: As a rising global tech center, Seoul offers the chance to experience cutting-edge technology and gain insights from leading tech companies. In Conclusion The key to a successful corporate incentive trip in 2025 lies in crafting a unique, engaging, and meaningful experience. Whether it’s soaking in the cultural richness of historic cities or embracing the serenity of nature, the destinations selected reflect the goals of the company and the desires of its employees. As we move forward, the appreciation for personal growth, cultural understanding, and sustainable practice continues to shape these exciting and impactful travels.
Yachting in Cuba with TOCA Trips
YACHTING IN CUBA ATTENTION YACHTING ENTHUSIASTS! Yachting in Cuba for leisure is a relatively new concept that is attracting the yachting community to the waters of the largest of the Caribbean islands. TOCA Trips has over 25 years experience creating cultural and humanitarian programs for clients interested in exploring Cuba’s unique gifts, and yachting in Cuba with TOCA Trips is one of the most enjoyable and exciting ways to get insights into the island’s ecological initiatives, culture, and history through yachting and sailing tours, private yacht services and more. Over the years, we have developed deep and loyal bonds with local contacts, not only in the marine industry for yachting in Cuba but also in the cultural, business, and opinion-making sectors. This allows us to offer you a perfectly tailored OFAC-compliant travel experience that unfolds an enriching view of this fascinating archipelago while you are yachting in Cuban waters. Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean; with 2,000 nm of coastline; over 4000 islands; an intact ecosystem; and warm, steady winds. These ideal natural conditions plus the emerging luxury infrastructure make yachting in Cuba an ideal way to visit Cuba legally and get to know and embrace the Cuban people. In Havana, you will find the Hemingway International Yacht Club, the local organization that is spearheading non-governmental efforts to provide and create the ideal conditions for yachting in Cuba. Check out: Bossa Nova Sinfonico & TOCA: A Resounding Success in Havana! The Hemingway International Yacht Club links to over 40 other nautical clubs worldwide and holds fishing and diving tournaments as well as regularly scheduled meetings and year-round activities for its members. Only 90 miles from Florida’s Key West, Cuba is easy to reach by water or air, and well worth the trip to discover it’s vast and natural beauty. With TOCA Trips Your yachting in Cuba experience doesn’t just begin and end in the water. Our deep knowledge of Cuba’s culture and history, along with our long-established relationship with the island’s cultural and business professionals and institutional support, gives us a very special perspective when it comes to introducing our clients to Cuban life, past and present. In this regard, we will tailor a customized on and offshore itinerary that suits your individual wishes. Whether it is to explore the many diverse facets of Cuba’s history and overall culture, to organize a diving expedition to explore the health of the coral reefs and marine life, or to take you to a secluded beach to watch the turtles lay their eggs and protect the pristine ecosystem. TOCA Trips offers you a yachting in Cuba experience that will remain with you for a lifetime as you strengthen your family and professional bonds while yachting on Cuba’s waters. On land, our people-to-people itineraries invite you to come ashore to enjoy an even more personal and holistic relationship to island culture. A Corporate Incentive Program in Havana by TOCA: A PanAmerican Cultural Encounter! At TOCA Trips, we offer full-service travel expertise, including: Pre-trip consultation, Visas, Navigation permits, Navigation planning, Marina reservations, Dockage, Offshore anchorage. Additionally, we can easily arrange private flights, luxury yacht charters, hotel and restaurant reservations, bilingual guides and staff, contact with environmentalists or researchers, and our exclusive destination programing and concierge services, depending on your needs and desires. Our mission is to make yachting in Cuba as easy, interesting, exciting, and informative as possible. So come aboard and set your sights on being a part of the TOCA Trips yachting in Cuba experience as you learn about the joy and beauty of this one-of-a-kind island. Check us out at www.tocatrips.com
The Wonder of Japan’s Cherry Blossom Season
The Wonder of Japan’s Cherry Blossom Season If you have ever had the pleasure of being in Japan between late March and early May, you have undoubtedly experienced the wonder of cherry blossom season. Known as “sakura,” cherry blossoms bridge the gap between old and young, ancient and modern as the country finds itself blanketed in ephemeral beauty that ignites every spirit year after year. At this time, when the trees are festooned in delicate pink and white petals, it is easy to understand the awe and wonder that has inspired the best of Japanese poetry and paintings from as early as the eighth century on. Cherry blossom season is officially declared when at least five flowers bloom. With a blow by blow countdown, the subsequent cherry blossom forecast then chases each petal as trees advance in volume. From southern to northern Japan, this yearly event inspires “hanami,” the national pastime of looking at flowers. As they appear, each blooming tree becomes top news all over the country. Imagine newscasters announcing in tremulous tones the incipient appearance of a single cherry blossom heralding the season, which in itself is heartbreakingly short lived. And with each announcement, local populations inevitably scurry forth to witness the blooms as they emerge on streets around their neighborhoods. Imagine cities where people camp out on the streets, where picnics and timeless festivals are revived each season in celebration, and people have a chance to share their excitement during the one week when the cherry trees are in full bloom! As a symbol of the transient nature of life, as well as new beginnings, this blanket of pink is as much the inspiration for goodwill and artistic endeavor as it is for the onslaught of advertising. Watch how for a short yet powerful time, pink predominates as the product color of choice! Once the cherry trees reach full bloom, the next treat is what is known as “sakura snow.” As the blossoms mature, falling petals festoon the streets, softening the hard edges of metropolitan cities and crowning the nooks and crannies of smaller towns and villages. Imagine Tokyo’s Ueno park, filled with museums, shrines, and ponds, blanketed in a soft, romantic pink. It is truly breathtaking and so worth the trip to witness the drama and celebration of this magical season. At TOCA, we were privileged to witness sakura season, taking with us yet another indelible picture of a country that truly worships the exquisite. For us it is one of the inspirations that keep our hearts and souls attuned to aesthetic creation and the desire to bring beauty into all that we do. www.tocaevents.com www.tocatrips.com
Tanzania Tour with TOCA Trips!
Tanzania Tour with TOCA Trips! With the ever-increasing popularity of our tours in Brazil, Cuba, and Thailand, we at TOCA Trips are expanding our roster to include Tanzania in our select list of destinations. Tanzania tour. With its endlessly fascinating natural resources, we felt it would be remiss if we didn’t share our knowledge of this magical part of the world with those of you yearning to take a journey of a lifetime! Vast Natural Beauty on Protected Land Exotic and enticing, Tanzania is known as one of the best wildlife viewing locations in all of Africa. From white-bearded wildebeests to giraffes, gazelles, zebras, and more, the country is also home to Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro; as well as its deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika; and largest lake, Lake Victoria. Containing 16 national parks, along with countless bio-diverse forest and game reserves, Tanzania one of the primary African countries where you can enjoy such vast and natural beauty on protected land. Tours with a Personal Flavor TOCA co-founder Sean Gibbons lived in Tanzania as a teenager, a time that informed his youth with a sense of the preciousness of a grand landscape that fills the soul. With his deep connection to this country, Sean’s knowledge of the land and its people has imbued our tours with a deeply personal flavor. The Serengeti Our trips focus primarily on the Serengeti region, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ngorongoro Crater. Included in the Tanzania Tour are a range of activities such as photographic safaris, canoeing, biking, hiking, shopping, as well as cultural and culinary encounters. Accompanied by our impeccable tour guides, you will experience the magnificence of some of the area’s most impressive sites, including Arusha National Park. Smaller than many of the other local parks, Arusha is extremely accessible and teeming with wildlife inhabiting stretches of untainted countryside. Equally awe-inspiring is Lake Manyara National Park, with its breathtaking scenery offering endless photographic opportunities. The Serengeti Our trips focus primarily on the Serengeti region, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ngorongoro Crater. Included in the Tanzania Tour are a range of activities such as photographic safaris, canoeing, biking, hiking, shopping, as well as cultural and culinary encounters. Accompanied by our impeccable tour guides, you will experience the magnificence of some of the area’s most impressive sites, including Arusha National Park. Smaller than many of the other local parks, Arusha is extremely accessible and teeming with wildlife inhabiting stretches of untainted countryside. Equally awe-inspiring is Lake Manyara National Park, with its breathtaking scenery offering endless photographic opportunities. Stunning Overnights Offering impeccable accommodations such as Rivertrees Country Inn just outside Arusha and near to Kilimanjaro Airport, Serena Mountain Lodge in Mt. Meru, and the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge inside the stunning Ngorongoro Crater, we also introduce our tourists to exciting overnights in some of the best open-air safari camps. With all of this and more, you can be sure that your visit to the land of the Masai will enrich you as much as it has inspired our TOCA team. Sharing the Joy At TOCA Trips we supply you with all you need to share the profound joy of being deeply engaged in untainted nature. There is no doubt that you will be as astounded as we are each time we visit this majestic country where description falls so far short of the experience. Join Us! For more information on TOCA Trips and the Tanzania Tour, please contact us here. www.tocaevents.com www.tocatrips.com
Sao Paulo: Brazil’s Favorite Destination for Events and Incentive Travel
Fabulous Sao Paulo is Brazil’s largest city and the most populous megapolis in the entire Southern Hemisphere. The world’s ninth largest metropolis is located in Southeastern Brazil—in the State that shares its name—and is the commercial and industrial heart of the South American giant, a country that has made great strides in the last few years to become a world economic power while helping and assisting the perennially underserved populations of its urban centers and rural areas. View of Sao Paulo Sao Paulo is also a world-renowned center for art, culture, entertainment and sophistication, unlike any other Latin American city. Practically an open air museum with neighborhoods and buildings of historical value—it ranks first among the cities that host international events in the Americas and 12th in the world, after Vienna, Paris, Barcelona, Singapore, Berlin, Budapest, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Seoul, Lisbon and Copenhagen. And according to a study by MasterCard in 130 cities around the world, São Paulo was the third most visited destination in Latin America with 2.4 million foreign travelers, who spent US$2.9 billion in 2013 (the highest among the cities in the region). Some of the most relevant annual events include the Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo Fashion Week and the ATP Brazil Open, as well as the largest gay pride parade in the country, which draws over one million visitors every year. Ibirapuera Auditorium TOCA Events, with offices in Miami and Rio de Janeiro, boasts a comprehensive team of expert curators, tour guides, planners and fixers in bustling Sao Paulo, who bring you up-to-date insight into the latest developments in this unique city. Knowing the city and its inhabitants so well, TOCA Events is poised to be your best all-inclusive provider to organize your next incentive experience in the most cosmopolitan city of one of the most beautiful and emblematic countries on the entire planet. Ibirapuera Park In 2014, CNN ranked nightlife in São Paulo as the fourth best in the world, behind New York, Berlin, and Ibiza. Although we do not know the criteria used by our partners at CNN, we agree that the paulistanos (as the locals are known) are unique, outgoing, sophisticated, and have built a city worthy of our admiration, even in a country with one of the most legendary architectural legacies of the 19th and 20th centuries. Avenida Paulista Starting from the iconic Avenida Paulista, home to the city’s most emblematic monuments, such as the Latin American Memorial, Ibirapuera Park, Museum of Ipiranga, São Paulo Museum of Art, and the Museum of the Portuguese Language, the city radiates towards some of the most relevant business centers that host headquarters of major corporations, banks and financial institutions, organizations whose arms reach the rest of the continent and beyond, including the largest stock market in Latin America. Terracoitalia restaurant One aspect of this fantastic city that seems to escape most history books is the fact that this is one of the most multicultural enclaves in the world, especially in South America. The city holds the largest population of persons of Italian descent in the entire world—more than Rome. Sao Paulo is also home to large Arab and Japanese communities. Mani restaurant Know for a penchant for luxury and excess, Sao Paulo hosts the leading fashion brands and cultural institutions. The Jardins neighborhood is regarded as one of the most sophisticated spaces in town with a broad variety of hotels and restaurants, including the award-winning D.O.M., considered one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants by San Pellegrino and Restaurant Magazine. Morumbi Since the city hosts 75% of the trade fairs and conventions in the country, the TOCA Events team of destination management professionals are consistently engaged in offering the highest level of creativity, quality and service to its growing global clientele. The city has become one of our favorite destinations for sports marketing, business sessions, incentive travel, and evening events produced with special attention to all the logistical details that lead to unforgettable experiences. www.tocaevents.com
Florida Everglades
The Florida Everglades start at the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. In the wet season, the water leaving the lake forms a slow-moving river 60 miles wide and over 100 miles long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern tip of the peninsula. Along its journey to Florida Bay, the water from the lake brings life to different environments that conform an intricate labyrinth of interdependent ecosystems including cypress swamps, the estuarine mangrove forests of the Ten Thousand Islands, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine Rockland, and the marine environment of Florida Bay. Each is hauntingly beautiful in its own way: landscapes that cannot be replicated anywhere else. This fascinating corner of the planet is life giving and life affirming, a primordial landscape that should be protected. Pahayokee—Seminole for Everglades—was a pristine environment where the swamps and forests were not obstacles but a natural bounty. Calusa, Tequesta, Miccosukee, Seminole, and later Gladesmen occupied and lived off the land. The Calusa maintained a highly organized society and left behind many traces of their civilization, including large-scale architectural shell works, shell tools, carved wood, and long distance canoe trails. After the native population was exterminated by wars or exotic illnesses, Florida’s land boom promised cheap swamp land for agricultural or community development. That decision doomed the Everglades. In her seminal monograph The Everglades: River of Grass, Marjory Stoneman Douglas attempts to redefine the modern perception of the Everglades from a worthless swamp to a life-giving river. The resilient southern end of this unique ecosystem is what we know today as The Everglades Natural Park. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the park’s mission is to preserve and protect the unique and abundant flora and fauna within its jurisdiction. Everglades National Park covers between 1 and 1.5 million acres. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the US. hosting an incredibly rich mixture of plant and animal habitats. It is also a beautiful place to visit, an invitation for our children to discover the incredible power of nature, the beauty of a glorious sunset over Flamingo–the southernmost town on the Florida mainland–or the enchantment of endless rainbows during the rainy season. Photo safaris are equally as attractive since many of the species of plants and animals are endemic to the area and cannot be found anywhere else. Feel free to canoe through he haunting cypress swamps observing the broad variety of birds, medium and large mammals like the elusive Florida panther, and, of course, the ubiquitous American alligator and American crocodile. While most of the park is remote and inaccessible, there are plenty of spots within a few minutes from Miami or Naples, where you can get a feel for the “River of Grass”. The Park has three main entrances: Shark Valley, near Miami; Royal Palm in Homestead, and Everglades City in Florida’s West Coast. Each will lead you to a different, unforgettable encounter with nature, something we all need to do more often. The best way to see the park is to take the time to walk the boardwalks and trails along the main park road to join in ranger-led events. Naturalists give talks, and lead hikes, canoe trips, tram tours, and campfire programs, as well as narrated boat tours to explore the pristine Ten Thousand Islands and coastal mangrove. I remember that as a child growing up in Miami, I thought of the Everglades as civilization’s frontier. On one side there was progress, roads, malls, suburbs—our habitat. Beyond the city limits lay myth and lore, a land of monstrous lizards, giant serpents, mystery, and ghosts. I was disconnected from my immediate natural environment and devoid of the fundamental connection and sense of pride and ownership of the place where I lived. This shared belief contributed to the neglect of the glades. In the Everglades, there are not epic vistas or high snow covered peaks. This park is more intimate, more personal, unique, and discreet, but its overwhelming beauty will change your life. If you are not comfortable venturing into the Everglades by yourself, there are several operators that will take care of all your needs and concerns. These include Dragon Flies Expeditions with a comprehensive Everglades Backwater Tour. And if you think the Everglades are only about nature and not art, we invite you to visit Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery located on 13 acres in the middle of the Everglades on Tamiami Trail. Butcher is an award-winning photographer and environmentalist who has produced some of the most iconic images of the river of grass. As it has been since the mid 19th century, the Everglades face continuous challenges. The latest problem is the growing population of invasive species like Burmese pythons, purple swamp hens, Cuban frogs and Australian pines, among others. This is the result of an ill-regulated exotic pet trade. These species compete with native plants and animals for resources and habitat. The expansion of the sugarcane industry, other agricultural endeavors, loss of habitat to real estate development, and supplying clean water to mores than 7 million South Floridians are stress factors that have to be dealt with if we want to protect this environment. Some call the Everglades a fragile ecosystem. We call it the most resilient treasure in the southernmost corner of the United States. www.tocaevents.com
Cienfuegos: Cuba’s Hidden Gem
Perhaps many of our readers have never heard of the city of Cienfuegos in Central Cuba, but it is time to take notice of this beautiful enclave by the sea! The Pearl of the South—as locals affectionally call it—sits by a vast bay and harbor that are ideal for sailing and water sports. Cienfuegos is poised to become one of the main tourist destinations in Cuba forecasting the onslaught of cruise activity that will descend upon the island in the coming years, which could more than triple the number of travelers visiting this beautiful island nation. With that idea in mind, the local government has embarked in a comprehensive tourist expansion plan that should be completed by the year 2030. The ambitious project will revamp the city’s infrastructure to welcome more tourists. The city’s location in the center of the island–and the presence of an international airport–make Cienfuegos the ideal starting place for visiting some of the country’s most beautiful sites. These include the nearby town of Trinidad, founded on 1514 and preserved to retain its Spanish Colonial essence, as well as the Valle de los Ingenios, one of the most important sugar production hubs since the 18th century—both declared UNESCO Heritage Sites. From Cienfuegos, we can visit the Ciénaga de Zapata, the island’s largest swamp and an example of Cuba’s efforts to maintain one of the most pristine ecosystems in the Caribbean. The mountains of the Escambray emerge from the North side of the city and rise to 3,000 feet above sea level. There are multiple caves, rivers, waterfalls, grottos, canyons, natural pools with crystal clear water, and mountains teeming with mariposa—Cuba’s national flower—announcing their presence with a soft and unique fragrance from June to early September. For those looking for the Fountain of Youth, we recommend a visit to the thermal baths at Ciego Montero, Cuba’s most popular spa. The Escambray is home to more that 40 species of orchids and giant, seven-foot ferns endemic to the island. Bird watching, hiking and taking advantage of the lush forests and fresh air are perhaps the main amenities in the Central Cuban Mountains. TOCA Events prides itself in finding unknown destinations for our clients. We take you places where culture and history take priority over more mundane activities. More than exotic, Cienfuegos is a real place, where the locals welcome foreigners with a warm embrace that lasts during the entire trip. Proud of their heritage and magnificent architecture, Cienfuegueros are soulful, lively and musical. And they have plenty of reasons to be proud. The city of about 150,000 inhabitants was founded 1819 by French immigrants from Bordeaux and Louisiana led by Don Louis de Clouet who settled the land known as Fernandina de Jagua on behalf of the Spanish king Ferdinand VII. The name of the settlement was changed in 1880 in honor of the island’s Governor Don José Cienfuegos. The city is considered young by Cuban standards since the main villas on the island were founded in the 16th and 17th centuries. Cienfuegos is very different from other Cuban cities and has a distinct look and feel while retaining many impressive landmarks, including stunning palaces, quaint squares and beautiful theaters. The city has kept its Gaelic heritage with a modern layout and eclectic architecture. We start our periplus visiting some of the city’s most emblematic sites. The bay is lined with a scenic promenade (Malecón) where locals and visitors stroll peacefully at dusk taking in the Caribbean breeze and the glorious, melancholic sunsets. Cienfuegos also boasts the island’s longest tree-lined boulevard. Known as El Paseo del Prado, this strip is the city’s most popular artery and the meeting place for locals who come out everyday to enjoy the shade, socialize and keep their culture alive. Paseo del Prado covers the western part of the city and leads to Punta Gorda, home to some of the most beautiful houses in town, including the iconic Palacio del Valle. The 1913 building—a symbol of the city—displays a series of architectural elements reminiscent of Spanish Moorish art. The builders sought inspiration in myriad styles, including Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque and Mudejar, a cacophony of influences that resulted in a gorgeous and balanced palace. Although a small city, we encourage you to take a few days to discover and enjoy its parks, plazas, and monuments where you become immersed in a generous display of neoclassical, art nouveau and art deco imagery. The great weather year-round will help and inspire you to walk the lovely streets of the Historic Center, declared UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring the impressive José Martí Park, one of the most beautiful and well preserved in Cuba; the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with its asymmetric towers, and the dome of the Government Palace. Also nearby is the historic 19th-century Terry Theater, a revered institution within the Cuban art scene. Towering over te entrance to the bay is Jagua Castle, Cienfuegos’ oldest fortress, built in 1745 to protect the city from corsairs and pirates. One shouldn’t leave Cienfuegos without visiting the Marina and Nautical Club, a stately building by the bay offering sunset cruises, catamaran outings, and access to the best diving in this part of Cuba. Also worth visiting, the vast Botanical Gardens founded in 1901 under the name “Harvard Botanical Station for Tropical Research and Sugar Cane Investigation”. Today, the garden boasts a large collection of exotic plants including endemic orchids, palms, ficus, bamboo and species from other latitudes. Cienfuegos is a gift from the gods. It continues to draw inspiration from its French origins while staying modern and relevant, beautiful and promising. The sea frames the city with a warm embrace and the blue waters that surround it are a true privilege. Cienfuegos is a cultural cluster located between the sea and the mountains. TOCA Events, under its division TOCA Trips, offers curated, personalized trips to Cienfuegos and other Cuban destinations where we share our experiences and knowledge with sophisticated travels looking for exposure to something they may not have experienced before. You
Miami’s Extraordinary Beaches: Something for Everyone
Though South Beach cannot be missed for its flamboyant range of day and nightlife, we at TOCA Events feel it is incumbent upon us to introduce you to some excellent alternatives for basking in the sun. The sandscapes of Miami are many, making it easy to find your perfect place. Whether it’s a private pearly white shore, an action-packed sporting day, or a chance to get rid of your tan lines at a nude beach, we’ve got a few suggestions on how to mix it up when vacationing in South Florida. North Beach offers a wide beach and waters as gorgeous as you’ll find anywhere. There’s a park at the north end, and the old fashioned band shell is a popular music venue where you can hear some great concerts later in the evening. With concessions and showers, beach volleyball nets for impromptu games, and lots of cafes nearby, North Beach is a great place to spend the day. For dining try Cafe Prima Pasta on 414 71st Street with its excellent Italian menu. North Shore Open Space is ideal for its tranquility, with plenty of shade, soft beach grass, and sandy walking trails. After a quiet day, enjoy a delicious Uruguayan meal at El Rey Del Chivito, 6987 Collins Ave. Bal Harbour Beach is north of the main beaches in Miami. Bal Harbor is considered the Rodeo Drive of South Florida, with high-end boutiques, luxury condos, five star hotels, clear waters, and pristine white sand. The mile-long beach has a jetty at the north end and offers a jogging path along the shore. There are many wonderful cafes at the Bal Harbour Shops or in nearby Surfside. We recommend The Grill at Bal Harbour on 9700 Collins Ave Suite 233. Haulover Beach is one and a half miles north of Miami Beach and is famous for its deep blue waters and a stretch of shoreline that is clothing-optional. Have a picnic lunch, enjoy a kite-making workshop, take some time on the nine hole golf course, or play a few sets of tennis on the courts. Visiting the nearby marina and park on Biscayne Bay is an easy walk through the available tunnels that lead to the sites. Our recommendation for dining is the J & Grill 9703 Collins Avenue where they really know how to make a good steak! Key Biscayne’s Crandon Park is perfect for the entire family. Here you’ll find a family amusement center, a nature center, and loads of beach volleyball. Have a picnic lunch, enjoying the on-site grills, and spend the afternoon roaming about the dunes, taking in the mangrove trees, costal hammock and sea grass beds, and the balmy breezes that play with you all day long. The environmental study area, Bear Cut Preserve, is interesting for the local flora and fauna. Take a tour with an experienced guide and then pop over to Cafe Fresh by Juice Zone in the Galleria Shopping Center on 328 C randon Blvd. for a healthy snack or meal. Attention windsurfers! Hobie/Windsurfer Beach in Key Biscayne is the place for you. Hobie is the home for one of the best locally run windsurfing concessions. Take a private or group lesson with a pro and then get out there to test your mettle. When you’re done, have a couple of cold beers on the beach with the locals to recap the day. www.tocaevents.com
Havana’s International Jazz Festival and TOCA Culture
Picture a crowded basement. The lights are dim, the air thick with smoke and anticipation. A late night set is well into its umpteenth hour as local and international jazz greats make their way to the stage, adding their particular stamp to the continued improvisation. It could be twenty years ago, or it could be the present, but there is no doubt that this is Havana, Cuba on a night not to be missed. In Cuba you have music for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, and snacks. Its in the clubs, its on the curbs. And when it comes to jazz, it inhabits the late night into the morning, penetrating your very cells down to the marrow of your bones. This is the Cuba we at TOCA love and its the Havana that stands everyone on their heads during the annual Havana International Jazz Festival. In December 2015 from December 13 to the 21st, the Havana International Jazz Festival once again will be magnetizing jazz lovers from all over the world. For nine days and eight nights, attendees will be privy to some of the most astonishing musical talent at venues around the city including concerts at the Mella, Nacional, and Amadeo Roldan theatres and throughout the city’s many, many clubs. Hang out on any one of these nights at the Jazz Cafe or La Zorra y el Cuervo and you’re sure to see your favorite jazz luminaries adding their heat to the fire. The Havana International Jazz Festival was born in 1978 as the Jazz Plaza Festival when Cuban jazz showman Bobby Carcasses and a host of other exceptional Cuban musicians presented the first jazz concert in the Casa de la Cultura de Plaza. The following year featured keyboard great and five-time Grammy winner, Chucho Valdes, who became the director of the festival in 1996. As one of the most thrilling events for jazz lovers, the festival combines the allure of Cuba itself with some of the greatest icons of jazz music. In the past, the festival has featured artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Tete Montoliu, Charlie Haden, Max Roach, Roy Hargrove, Steve Coleman, Carmen McRae, Leon Thomas, Airto Moreira, Tania Maria, Dave Velentin, Ivan Lins, and Michael Legrand. This year will be no different, with local and internationally acclaimed musicians coming in from everywhere to add their talent to the stunning and innovative scene that thrives in Havana. Never shirking our responsibility to share the fun, TOCA Culture will be there to provide people-to-people educational exchanges, combining encounters with Old Havana, Ciefuegos, and other UNESCO treasures with the excitement of the festival’s abundant musical offerings. With a mission to offer an intimate view of Cuban culture, we are looking forward to a total immersion into Havana’s musical pulse, from Afro-Cuban to Bossa Nova, improvisational, and free jazz… and everything in-between, above, and beyond! For more information on TOCA Culture and the Havana International Jazz Festival, contact us today at: www.tocaevents.com www.tocaculture.org www.tocatrips.com
The Exciting Game of Sports Marketing
As we prepare for the Rio Summer Games, where we are assisting the NBA for the third year in a row, it occurs to us that we might say a few words about the exciting game of sports marketing. As huge sports fans, we at TOCA are always thrilled when we are called upon to provide our sports clients with strategies that bring their goods and services to expectant fans. Perhaps more than any type of event, sports has the power to ignite both the passion and pride of its viewers. Ready to cheer for their favorite athletes and teams, there is no more vicarious thrill than feeling the excitement generated by fans when the game is on. Competition, an undetermined outcome, and star athletes put everyone on the edge of their seats, creating a thrilling mix that electrifies every sporting event. Sports marketing wouldn’t be what it is if advertising wasn’t tied in to the event at hand. The popularity of teams and athletes encourages fans to purchase the products and services that they support, which creates an undeniable synergy. At TOCA our task is to come up with great strategies that will promote an event, along with the goods and services that go along with it. In service to this, we provide our clients and audiences with interactive settings that keep team spirit at its highest and client brands at the forefront. Getting the public to participate in ancillary events, allowing them to get closer to their favorite athletes and teams through live feeds and parties, and providing urban elements that encourage fans to stay active is what makes an event successful. Our goal at TOCA is always based on offering people a wonderful time, and it is with this in mind that we create our marketing strategies. Sports marketing is a fast-paced, energetic facet of event production. It requires quick thinking and a knack for coming up with creative solutions for promotion and advertising. Attention to detail, good communication and organizational skills, and a ton of flexibility make for a great result. When clients keep coming back for each new event, you know your formula is working. In this regard, we are proud to be producing three more events for Univision’s USA Mexico game, including simultaneous live viewing parties in L.A. and Dallas. We expect over 4,000 fans to turn up at each location, with fun and games for all. We have many sports marketing-related events in the works, many with return clients who want more of the TOCA touch. With each one, we rev up our motor, hone our skills, and revel in the excitement we share with our clients, the sponsors, and the fans. And of course, with each production, we learn more about our craft as we come up with new ideas for the exciting game of sports marketing. www.tocaevents.com