West Des Moines, IA — September 30, 2025 — ITA Group has been named a finalist for the IMA Europe 2025 Excellence in Incentive Travel Award in recognition of its outstanding work on the Ecolab: Athens Cultural Immersion Experience.
Ecolab honored its top global performers with the incentive travel program, uniting 320 attendees from 37 countries in Athens, Greece. The inspiring journey blended strategic business objectives with authentic cultural immersion. The result showcased ITA Group’s ability to deliver people-first experiences that celebrate achievement and drive measurable results.
“Being shortlisted for the IMA Europe Excellence in Incentive Travel Award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the power of purposeful experience design,” said Sarah Haines, President of Events at ITA Group. “Our collaboration with Ecolab exemplifies how incentive travel can transcend traditional recognition—creating cultural immersion, emotional connection and lasting business impact.”
The program was also a demonstration of resilience and exceptional execution. Despite challenges that included city-wide strikes, protests, air traffic controller disruptions and inclement weather, ITA Group implemented agile contingency planning and creative problem-solving to ensure a seamless experience. From luxury accommodations at the Grande Bretagne Hotel to a gala at the historic Zappeion Megaron, every detail reinforced themes of unity, sustainability and innovation.
“Despite real-world challenges, ITA Group rose to the occasion with remarkable flexibility and creativity,” said Mary Young, Senior Manager of Experiential Marketing at Ecolab. “The result was a truly world-class program that not only celebrated achievement but also strengthened cultural connection and delivered measurable impact. With a 98.39% satisfaction rate from a discerning group of high-performing global leaders, our partnership with ITA Group set a new standard for excellence in incentive travel.”
The winners of the IMA Europe Awards will be announced on October 1, 2025, in London.
About IMA Europe
IMA Europe is a leading professional association dedicated to advancing the recognition, incentive and motivation industry across Europe. Through education, networking and awards programs, IMA Europe brings together organizations and professionals who design and deliver effective incentive strategies that drive business results. Its Excellence Awards honor innovation, creativity and successful implementation of incentive programs that demonstrate true business impact.