Meeting & Tourism Management

I was fortunate, after a number of years working on Political Meetings, Training Workshops and even Presidential Inaugurals to spend 7 years in the Caribbean handling Tourism promotion for the Cayman Islands. This involved opening offices both in The Cayman Islands and Miami to coordinate the many international promotions and functions.

Later the business was expanded to Miami and Orlando, Florida. Still in the event business I moved into the high volume meeting world of the pharmaceutical and medical meetings, where instead of a few high profile meetings I was responsible for over 10,000 a year, managing a team of planners spread across the United States. At Communication Links, Inc. I saw the market Intelligence side of tourism and hospitality, understanding the perceptions and trends that drive the tourists and meeting planners to choose one destination over another. The days of "Open it and they will come" are long gone, and today the planning for resorts, destinations and event venues has to be scientific, and based on competitive research, not just hoping they will come.

Linda Schnabl Simpson

Meeting Planning Training

Many of my larger projects have involved television, or film coverage and mistakes through bad planning and co-ordination are amplified a million fold, often seen by tens of millions of viewers if the event is live. I have become a firm believer in training and mentoring, not just once-in-a-career opening the books for a certification, but a clear understanding of what is required by the client.

As more and more technology is introduced into tourism and meetings the need to understand, and manage the media interface, as well as the meeting or event process has to become second nature, for we rarely get a second chance. Good training and appreciation is essential.