by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua In only 4 years the Web Summit has grown from 400 attendees to 22,000 attendees, a staggering growth curve by any criteria. This spectacular increase appears to stem from a happy coincidence of circumstances involving the focus and vision of its founder, Paddy Cosgrave, the allure and appeal of… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua From time to time I have been asked where I go for good, on-line MICE content. Within the MICE industry there’s a plethora of good content so here’s my current list of sources. It’s a highly personal selection based on a combination of recommendations and random finds. As a… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua B2B and B2C Most discourse in the meetings industry tends to coalesce around “private” events for individuals, companies or associations. Occasionally, when a private event is particularly large – the welcome event for a city wide convention of 20,000, for example – we need to interface with civic and… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua I got the moves like Jagger The dance floor was packed like a mosh pit with more moves going on than a nation of nomads. The band was tight and tidy, dishing out tasty versions of 60s Brit pop with Jaggeresque arrogance. As we punched the air to “Satisfaction”… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is just over 10 years in existence. Headquartered in Madrid, Spain it publishes a comprehensive annual report on tourism as well as occasional reports on specific segments, sectors and geographies of the broader tourism industry. It’s recent report (March 2014) on The… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua In a recent editor’s blog on MeetPie the author refers to Roald Dahl’s The Witches as “one of the few works of literature set in the heady world of the conference and events industry”. And the author is right, of course. There are precious few works of literary merit… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Passion and Energy in Limerick The Association of Irish Professional Organisers (AIPCO) made its annual assembly into a pan-MICE gathering this year and attracted almost 200 meetings and events professionals to Limerick, City of Culture. The entire event was characterised by palpable passion and energy, evidenced by the great… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolElla Next week I travel to Washington DC to participate at the annual conference of ADMEI, the association of destination management executives. This will be only my third time to participate at ADMEI but I do so with great anticipation, mindful of how much I learned in Memphis (2012) and Montreal… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolElla Fiche bliain ag fas 20 years ago this year Patrick Delaney and I started Delaney Marketing Consultants and launched ourselves as “Ireland’s leading DMC” to the understandable annoyance of our long established competitors. Some competitors even took their chagrin to higher authorities and lodged official complaints about our promotional… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Dreamy blue The sky is a hazy shade of light blue with a vague line of pale orange stretching across its horizon. Still and fresh, the air is pregnant with promise. I’m sitting in a big ass Escalade en route to the airport, watching in wonder as… Read more »