2025 White Cap Chairman's Club

Client: White Cap

Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA

Because the Most Beautiful Destinations Are the Hardest to Get To

Transforming Mackinac Island into a Seamless, Large-Scale Incentive Experience

Set on the remote, car-free Mackinac Island—where motor vehicles have been prohibited since the late 19th century—this incentive program redefined what is possible for group travel in a destination traditionally designed for individual leisure guests. What is typically considered a logistical challenge became the foundation for a highly differentiated and memorable experience.

Welcoming over 300 attendees during the busy early summer season, the program required a carefully orchestrated journey spanning air, land, water, and horse-drawn transport. Due to limited airlift into nearby Pellston, guests arrived via Traverse City, approximately two hours away, where the journey itself was intentionally designed as part of the experience.

Personalized touches—including custom-branded water, Michigan cherries, and curated snacks—set the tone, while a stop at Gypsy Distillery in Bay Harbor near Petoskey introduced a strong sense of place before continuing to Mackinaw City.

At Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry docks, a private, cabana-style tent created an exclusive, crowd-free pre-boarding experience. Upon arrival, guests entered a destination where traditional group transportation does not exist—requiring all movement to be reimagined through horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and walkable experiences, carefully coordinated to manage the group at scale.

At the center of the program was the Grand Hotel, opened in 1887 and known for its distinctive character, with no two guest rooms alike and a bold design legacy shaped by Dorothy Draper & Company and Carleton Varney. A full buyout during peak season transformed the property into a private environment—an uncommon approach for a destination typically experienced by individual travelers.

In partnership with Destination Consultants, AOO Events, and Sonar Creative, the program delivered a seamless, high-touch experience that turned logistical complexity into a defining and memorable advantage.

Video Submission: https://youtu.be/YeNIZloGfBc