by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua In an early January post on Skift, Greg Oates talks about convergence as a key trend for the meetings industry for 2017 and, in particular, about the “festivalisation” of meetings and events as attendees seek both education and entertainment from the overall experience. I thought of this as I… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua I have had occasion already to engage in on-line debate with James Lancaster, a member of the team at CAT publications and editor of their magazine, Association Meetings International. He’s relatively new to our industry but brings us a fresh perspective and some great writing. Last week James posted a… 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 »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI In a recent post I recalled, with some nostalgia, the halycon days of IT&ME a.k.a. The Motivation Show when the entire meetings and events industry decamped to Chicago every year in September or October. Sometimes we froze and sometimes we were roasted to a crisp depending on… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI and Vice President Ovation Global DMC In the euphoric after-glow of IMEX America Lindsay Fultz’s provocative piece on why she doesn’t attend, exhibit or sponsor trade shows and events provides a nice counter-point [access here]. Now Marketing Manager for LoveIt, an LA based technology start up (looks… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Industry Relations and VP, Ovation Global DMC Redemption on the Streets of Las Vegas 4am is around the time the big clean up starts. In Las Vegas it’s also the time I rise. The Strip goes into twilight mode as night time revelers gradually de-materialise leaving space for jet-lagged Irish and the cleaners…. Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI and Vice President, Ovation Global DMC I start getting into the mood for Las Vegas when I see archive footage on BBC4 of The Steve Gibbons Band performing their one-hit-wonder “Tulane”. Neither the band nor the title of the song has any connection with Las Vegas so… Read more »