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 Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC and Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI After 4 intense days of full-on immersion in meetings industry matters, IMEX13 has finally drawn to a conclusion. Reporting a 27% increase on IMEX12, the exhibition has certainly come of age taking an undisputed primary position in the global meetings and… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Early AM on The Strip Early morning is a good time in Las Vegas. The relentless ebb and flow of people along the Strip abates completely and you’re left with cleaners, early morning construction workers, a flurry of joggers, the odd staggering drunk and maybe a hard… 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 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 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, Vice President of Industry Relations, MCI and Vice President Ovation Global DMC The Venetian, Las Vegas Last Thursday I over-nighted at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Built in the mid 90s and opened in 1999 it broke new ground in Vegas as a fully integrated luxury MICE resort with extensive gaming, retail… 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 »
by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Ovation Global DMC and VP, Industry Relations, MCI How do you create demand? Previously on this blog I’ve stated that you need to know weird and wonderful people to be truly successful as a destination management company. DMC legends like Laurie Sprouse in Dallas/Fort Worth or Patrick Sullivan in NYC are… Read more »