Upon Arrival | Events & Incentives with Adelaine Ng
Upon Arrival is for people creating unforgettable travel and event experiences for corporate clients. This community thrives on inspiration, ideas and strategies which are needed now more than ever through challenging times. The drivers for incentive travel are still strong and it’s just a matter of finding where the success stories are. Upon Arrival aims to uncover these stories to see how the strategists amongst us are learning new ways of doing things and even discovering new destinations and experiences that might not otherwise have been considered. We talk about mindset, personal development, pivot ideas and of course, what's happening with the travel and events industry.
Upon Arrival | Events & Incentives with Adelaine Ng
Ep 55: How business tourism is processing change and what change is doing to our mental health with Karen Bolinger
Will an industry known for its optimistic outlook and creative pursuits return with the same gusto it had before? It's an interesting question since society has made further mental shifts compared to even a year ago when we realised the Covid-19 pandemic was not going away as quickly as we'd hoped. And there are definite consequences for the industry, requiring new strategies for navigating customer experience.
Karen Bolinger has a long history working in the events, tourism and hospitality services industry. During her time as CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau, the MCB achieved its most successful years on record, including Victoria's highest ever economic contribution of A$500 million in one financial year. She is currently Acting Chief Operating Officer for Destination Gold Coast and Strategic Business Consultant for PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association ).
Quotes from Episode:
"There (are) groups that want to go back to business as usual and think nothing has changed. And that is the nature of our industry. We love to meet. We love being in the industry because we like people. Now, our customers may think differently. And I think that's the conversation that we need to have as an industry."
"The case numbers are bouncing back, they're bigger than ever before... So it's actually scary to see that the strategies that you thought would work aren't working. And so what is our strategy going forward and how do we actually prepare for that?"
-Karen Bolinger
Don’t miss:
-When Covid 19-strategies aren't working it has a further mental health impact
-The pandemic's impact on innovation and dreaming in the industry
-The need to be vulnerable to receive moral support
-The importance of recognising where our customers' sentiments are as restrictions lift
-Karen's new challenge and her strategies for Destination Gold Coast
-How Karen decides on new opportunities while protecting her health
Connect with Karen:
LinkedIn: Karen Bolinger
Connect with Adelaine / Sign up for her newsletter:
Email: uponarrivalpodcast@gmail.com