by Pádraic Gilligan, co-founder, SoolNua | Research & Consultancy, SITE As 2025 unfolds, it’s increasingly difficult to pin down exactly how incentive travel professionals feel about the short- to medium-term outlook for our industry. One thing is clear: sentiment has shifted since 2024. The Incentive Travel Index, released in November 2024, painted a nuanced picture—continued… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Co-Founder, SoolNua & Consultancy / Research, SITE For years, the Incentive Travel Index has consistently ranked “new destinations that you haven’t been to before” as the top choice in destination selection. This aligns with the growing demand for fresh, unexpected incentive destinations—places that break away from the conventional luxury mould and instead… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Founder, SoolNua Over the past decade, the global business events industry has been marching—sometimes steadily, sometimes hesitantly—to a shifting rhythm. Initially, the beat was set by sustainability, and more recently, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) priorities, with a particular emphasis on DEIAB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging) I say “hesitantly” because… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Chief Marketing Officer, SITE & Founder, SoolNua Movies and Tourism When I worked as an Italian-speaking tour guide in Ireland in the late ’80s and early ’90s, one of my set-piece commentaries was on movies shot in Ireland. I would mention The Quiet Man (1952, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara), Un… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Co-founder, SoolNua & Chief Marketing Officer, SITE Macao & Las Vegas Las Vegas casinos buzz with high-fives, loud cheers, and a steady pour of free-flowing adult beverages. In contrast, Macao’s casinos exude an air of quiet intensity, where focused patrons sip water in hushed concentration. What’s high-spirited entertainment in one destination is… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Founder of SoolNua & Chief Marketing Officer, SITE Since its triumphant debut in 1954, Fontainebleau Miami Beach has had more work done than your favourite Instagram influencer! We’re talking body contouring, tummy tucks, augmentations, Brazilians—you name it. Not to mention the countless facelifts. Yet, through it all, its original curves, as envisioned… Read more »
Pádraic Gilligan reflects on his visit to St. John’s, Canada’s easternmost provincial capital, where he attended the Incentive Summit Americas (ISA). Contrary to its “Stay Strange” motif, St. John’s is a warm, unpretentious city with unique, locally-owned shops and a vibrant community. The ISA event, hosted at the Alt Hotel, featured exceptional local activities such as hikes, heli-rides, and a memorable keynote by Justin Wren. The city’s genuine hospitality, slower pace, and unique traditions, such as the screech-in ceremony, left attendees with lasting memories. The summit successfully showcased St. John’s unconventional appeal and charm.
by Pádraic Gilligan, Founder SoolNua & Chief Marketing Officer, SITE Gleneagles – an incentive travel classic As July unfolds in Ireland and the weather gods continue to think it’s March, I’m left wondering whether it’s still raining in Gleneagles, that “glorious playground” that my son Colm and I visited earlier this year? Despite my decades… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Chief Marketing Officer, SITE & Founder, SoolNua Marketing Sydney, a true destination Sydney is not a first-tier global hub like London, Dubai or Singapore. There’s simply not enough international traffic going in and out of the city. It’s an offline city, too physically far from London, Paris, or New York to have… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua & Chief Marketing Officer, SITE Returning to Abu Dhabi Returning to Abu Dhabi, I had the opportunity to visit the remarkable Abrahamic Family House, a testament to the city’s visionary development since my first visit in the early 2000s. Back then, the grand Sheikh Zayed Mosque was the primary… Read more »