I’m seething with rage at Delta Airlines. When I needed an airline to be “human” and to understood a painful personal situation I was treated appallingly with extreme disrespect. When I then spent considerable time documenting this experience for the airline I was told that complaints had been “out-sourced” to another airline and then I… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Meetings
From Spectator to Participant – the Revolutionary Impact of Hybrid Meetings and Events
by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Industry Relations, MCI In early 2012 Vok Dams Consulting, the consulting arm of the eponymous German based marketing and live communications agency, produced an intriguing white paper on “Hybrid Events, a new trend in live marketing”. The authors, Altenstrasser and Korte, define hybrid events as the “integrative interplay of social media… Read more »
How do you market a destination? Lessons from Memphis
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Tourism-Review.Com recently ran a piece by David Whitley (http://www.grumpytraveller.com) entitled “A Destination Marketing Dilemma: How do you sell a city like Sheffield?” It’s a well written, mildly strident rant about what he calls the “cack-handed, hope-over-reality marketing” that many destination organisations are guilty of. He insists that destination marketing… Read more »
Irish boutique hotels on Trip Advisor’s Top 25 – lessons in on-line marketing
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI Group As a Irish born meetings professional I was obviously thrilled that 3 Irish properties were included in the recent Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Top 25 Hotels in the World. 17 countries of the world have properties listed amongst the 25: Greece, Belize, Czech Republic, South Africa,… Read more »
Global DMCs – a beautiful oxymoron?
Global DMCs – a beautiful oxymoron? by Padraic Gilligan Allegedly, when asked for his favourite oxymoron Irishman, global entrepreneur and former international rugby player, Tony O’Reilly, said “Great Britain”. But it may be regarded as crass and unfair to explain the meaning of oxymoron by reference to O’Reilly’s wicked quip (although given the current rumblings… Read more »
EIBTM 2011 – Behind the Scenes
EIBTM 2011 – Behind the Scenes by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Ovation Global DMC and Global VP, Industry relations MCI 2010 v 2011 What a difference! What a difference a year makes! Exactly one year ago most of Europe lay under a thick covering of snow making travel in and out of Barcelona extremely problematical. This… Read more »
40 years of growth: the art and science of the DMC
By Padraic Gilligan, Managing Director, Ovation Global DMC [First published in Kongres Magazine, December 2011] According to a recent exchange on Linkedin the term “DMC” or “Destination Management Company” was coined by either Tom Risbecker, Gunter Roleff or Phil Lee. Tasso Pappas and Ralph Holt, both DMC legends in their own right, opt for Europeans… Read more »
FICP – Day 2
FICP – Day 2 by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Director, Ovation Global DMC I’m not going to lie. The transfer from San Antonio to Knibbe Ranch was very, very long. At first it was long enough for me to desperately want a beer but then it became long enough for me to be glad I didn’t… Read more »
FICP – Day 1
FICP Day 1 by Padraic Gilligan, Ovation Global DMC On Sunday 13 November the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio dispatched its share of the 30000 participants at the city marathon and prepared for the arrival of 800 demanding, discerning FICPers. It’s the meeting from hell – you’re simultaneously playing host to your competitors and your… Read more »
FICP in San Antonio – Arrival Day
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Director, Ovation Global DMC I’m 51 and I’ve never done it. There. I’ve said it. I talked to Dan Young and I know he’s done it. A good few times, it seems. So has Darlene Catan but not, I think, with Dan Young. And I’m unclear as to whether either of… Read more »