IMEX America: rumours of the demise of the trade show greatly exaggerated.

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 »

Back in Las Vegas – IMEX12: the prelude

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 »

Building a Brand with Teddy Bears and Hugs: the Ovation Story

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 »

Shanghai Surprises (Part 3) – Marriott, Fairmont and Peninsula

by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Industry Relations, MCI Shanghai and Las Vegas When you visit Shanghai sooner or later you think of Las Vegas. They have much in common. The pace of development is one thing. The scale of the construction projects is another. The audacity of the buildings is a third. The palpable sense of… Read more »

Site EMEA Forum, Berlin – Where to Europe?

by Padraic Gilligan Berlin, Early Morning, 7am The room is already flooded in bright light when my alarm squalls into life at 7am.  I think my vintage football shirt might be appropriate in Germany’s capital, now that Arsenal FC has signed Poldolski so I wear it for my morning march. I try to capture on… Read more »

Behind the Scenes at the IRF – what happened at the parties

by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Industry Relations, MCI and VP, Destination Services, Ovation Global DMC The Importance of Giving Back Weather around DFW and a runway incident at ORD prevented my attendance at the pre-event reception and dinner at the Hyatt Regency. I was in time, however, to have a night cap with my buddy Jonathan… Read more »

Coming Home – Revisiting Ireland’s Incentive Icons: Killarney Park, Europe, Dromoland, Adare

by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua I’ve greatly enjoyed the opportunity over the past 4 weeks to re-acquaint myself with Ireland as an incentive destination. A combination of familiarisation trips and live programmes brought me, in quick succession, to two of Ireland’s premier locations for corporate meetings and incentives, the Shannon area renowned for its… Read more »

Ovation Trophy 2012 Day 1 – Lucerne to Interlaken

“I will not attempt to describe the beauty of this country … I will merely tell you that is is literally impossible to tear oneself away from this lake and these shores ” Leo Tolstoy It didn’t take long for it to start. Once the teams were assembled and the lanyards distributed the new identities were… Read more »

Ovation Trophy 2012 – the Prologue

“Yesterday evening I arrived at Lucerne, and put up at the best inn there, the Schweitzerhof” [Count Leo Tolstoy, “Lucerne”] I looked around the Cirrus as we pulled away from the dock opposite The Schweizerhof, one of our host hotels. What an eclectic mix we were – Danes, Germans, Italians, French, various Swiss, many Brazilians,… Read more »