Executive Director's Blog
Executive Director’s Blog: November 2007
Well it’s been such a busy couple of weeks and I can’t believe it’s November already, where did the summer go?!
I went to PortAventura with some members to check out the Rally of Catalunya. Paul Black was the perfect host flying us by helicopter from the resort to the rally, organising spa treatments for the girls, pit tours for the boys and passes to the wildest rides at the park for everyone. We even got to have dinner with Luis Moya, co-driver to Carlos Sainz and heard interesting stories from the Rallies over the years. Of course I was pretty chuffed when he told us that NZ is his favourite track!
This was quickly followed by National Meetings week, an industry celebration that has been around for a few years now and is all about raising the awareness of the value of our industry to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and to the wider business community. We held five events in five days - all targeted at different sectors of the industry. Major highlights were the Senior Level breakfast briefing and the Networking night at the Barbican. The breakfast briefing was a panel of industry leaders discussing the trends and issues facing us from the viewpoints of different sectors within our market - demonstrating the value we provide to the UK economy as a group of businesses. The networking event was held jointly with Visit London and the Barbican and attracted over 250 participants who mixed and mingled, made new contacts and sampled the tasty cuisine and even better wine. As part of the deal we even got free entry to the gallery to view new exhibition – Seduced - which resulted in an interesting conversation about a leek which I don’t think can be repeated online. After attending a total of 8 events that week we finished with an update on the new Corporate Manslaughter legislation which was enough to send some members running for their business support helpline provided free of charge with their membership – Check it out if you don’t know what I’m talking about!
The following week I was asked to present to Margaret Hodge, Minister of Tourism and Culture as part of a group representing the Business Tourism Partnership. The idea was to discuss the opportunities that the Olympics brings to our industry and the areas where we need more Government support. Eventia Board Director Mark Taylor of Grass Roots Group came with me and we did the presentation together. Margaret Hodge stayed with us for over 40 minutes - a record! She seemed genuinely interested in how she could help, despite the dramatic cut in funding to overall tourism funding in England announced that morning. (Don’t worry Scotland and Wales, you get a load more funding per capita than the English - no wonder England can’t win the Rugby! Sorry, I may have lived here nearly 6 years but the Kiwi in me couldn’t resist that.)
After all that I needed a break so Club Med whizzed me and eight other members off to Opio en Provence for the weekend in search of rest, relaxation and of course partying in true Club Med tradition. I have to say I was nicely surprised at the sleek new design, funky tunes in the bar, great food, high service standards and altogether friendly atmosphere in the resort. I’m not sure what I was expecting but I can see why Club Med is promoting this particular resport to the groups market as it has everything other resorts have with the bonus of an all-inclusive price for your f & b. Of course we had to check out the infamous ‘show’ at the end of the evening which despite featuring all the elements of a cheesy Dirty Dancing re-run, was actually a lot of fun (although you will be pleased to know groups don’t have to attend this. It’s purely voluntary and if you do ‘exclusive use’ you can choose whether you want to take up this option or not.) After the show (and more of our all-inclusive cocktails) we headed to the nightclub where, to my delight, they were playing retro hits that we all sang along to…. A few hours later 240 Danes, Swedes and Norwegians turned up from their in-house conference and the music turned infinitely more funky house style so there was nothing to it but join them on the dance floor. The following morning some of us were thankful for the blast of fresh air during our drive around the surrounding areas, only to settle in by the pool for those last few rays of sunshine before heading back to London Sunday evening.
Just when I thought the excitement had ended there was a teambuilding event to attend this week on Tuesday. Catalyst - one of our members who on a number of occasions has won teambuiding company of the year in our UK awards - held ‘Orchestrate’ at the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, Barbican. Over 150 members and corporates arrived, were served cocktails and canapés and listened to a performance in the theatre where at the end the conductor turned to the audience and announced it was now our turn. We had to choose an instrument and break out in to groups where over 90mins we were taught how to play our part in a symphony. We then gathered back in to the main auditorium and performed together on stage with the conductor. It was a scary but exhilarating experience especially for those of us who had never played an instrument before in our lives and not only that but to end up playing on the stage that is the home to the LSO - how awesome is that! There was a real buzz in the room afterwards and there is nothing like trying to blow into a trombone to break down the barriers and build relationships fast! Just ask Matt Storey from Gallowglass whose father actually plays and teaches the trombone. However this - and the fact that he is a former actor - didn’t give him any more clues than anyone else when it came to blowing high or low notes. We all had loads of fun and came away with a few new friends as a result. My thanks to Dom at Young Guns whose idea it was to do this.
The party season has definitely begun, and this month will end with us being whisked away to Barcelona for EIBTM. If you are an event buyer and haven’t already registered, you’re invited to come along with Eventia as a hosted buyer - with all flights and accommodation paid - with our group.
> more details
> register for EIBTM
But before then I hope you have all got your tickets for the Eventia UK Awards, 23rd Nov. This promises to be the night of the year where the whole industry gets together to celebrate the best events held in the UK and party the night away afterwards in the Hurlingham Club. There will be loads of fabulous entertainment, great networking and excellent food and wine, so if you are in this industry you can’t afford not to be there. It’s the night everyone will be talking about … so get your party frocks and penguin suits ready and I’ll see you there.
Yours,
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