by Padraic Giligan, Vice President Industry Relations, MCI Astoria 100 – A Grand and Lavish Affair I have a lot to say about St Petersburg but I’ll start with the party because, after all, that’s the reason I went there. The Hotel Astoria is celebrating 100 years of hospitality in 2012 /2103. I anticipated something… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Head in the Air Once you run the gauntlet of checking in, depositing bags, negotiating security and finally boarding, the time on board an aircraft can be good head time if only for the fact that you’re your own captive audience and are usually free from the random interruptions… Read more »
By Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Florence – 18 April 2013 I’ve visited Rocco Forte hotels in Brussels, Berlin, Prague and St Petersburg but this was my first visit to a Rocco Forte property in Italy, the country of origin of the eponymous founder and of his talented sister, Olga Polizzi, interior designer… Read more »
Guest Post by Hugo Slimbrouck, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Ovation Global DMC Swiss Trophy Day 3 At 6am this morning, just when his fellow Irishmen had finally stopped singing in the bar, Padraic slipped silently away to attend a family event. He passed the blogging baton to me and this is my account of the… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, MCI and Vice President, Ovation Global DMC The “embarrassment” of choice “So where are you staying? they asked. “The Roger”, I replied They didn’t even try to stifle their laughter. “The Roger?” they repeated to each other, in a tone somewhere between incredulity and hilarity. I had genuinely missed the… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, further westwards, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling too upon every part of the lonely churchyard where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President Ovation Global DMC Leaving Las Vegas I arrived into McCarran from Montreal magically gaining back 3 hours of my day in the process. The Air Canada flight touched down in bright sunshine and soon I was in the all-new international terminal at Las Vegas, bathed in natural light and free… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI There was a sense of homecoming. When I thought about it I realised it stemmed from a unique alignment of time and place. The 100th year anniversary of the birth of my Dad on 28 Feb rooted my thoughts around the Gilligan family and Annie, my Dad’s… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Montreal = Arcade Fire The blizzard abated, the snow stopped falling and clear blue skies returned to Montreal. Thus I was coaxed out of the warm cosiness of the Sheraton into the streets of the city hoping to experience something of its personality, its uniqueness, its soul…. Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC It’s not what I say about my brand, it’s what you say about it. The first session at most industry events features a word of welcome from the destination’s official authorities – someone from the Ministry of Tourism, the Chair of the CVB, the Mayor etc. It’s… Read more »