Business Tourism Conference April 2022
Programme
7th April 2022
14:00-18:00
Afternoon : Registration Opens​
19:00-20:00
Pre-Dinner Welcome Reception & Networking
Catch up with industry colleagues, make new connections.
20:00-00:00
Official Conference Dinner & Entertainment
Conference participants can enjoy a wonderful evening of dinner and entertainment in Carton House.
Announcement of the Annual AIPCO Hall of Fame Award 2022.
8th April 2022
Morning
Conference Facilitator - Jonathan Healy
09:30-09.40
Welcome Address
AIPCO Chair, Colette Duggan
09:40 - 09.55
Official Conference Opening
by The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D.
09:55-10:30
Keynote Speech​
Fáilte Ireland ‘Meet in Ireland’ Presentation
Paul Mockler, Head of Commercial Development, Fáilte Ireland
10:30-10:45
SITE Ireland Update
SITE Ireland President Arthur McGauran
10:45-11:15
Tea / Coffee Break
11:15-11:20
Update from Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel
Martin Mangan, General Manager
11:20-12:25
Global Trends, The New World of Business Events​
A welcome discussion with global industry experts on the current trends and challenges within the Business Events sector. We will look at how to rebuild a culture within organisations and how to embrace the changing business practices facing us in a post pandemic climate.
Learn from our industry experts
Oscar Cerezales, Chief Strategy Officer and Global Executive Corporate Vice President, MCI Group
Ben Goedegebuure, Enterprise Vice President, Global and Industry Presence, Maritz Global Events
12:25-12:30
Update from Dalata Group
Susan O’Keefe, Group Sales Marketing Manager
12:30-13:40
Networking Lunch
13:40-13:45
Update from ICC Belfast
13:45-14.55​
Panel Discussion​
Our industry experts are joined by representatives from the Irish Business Tourism sector to discuss how to respond to the trends, challenges and opportunities identified by our global experts.
Nicola Mc Grane
AIPCO Past Chair / CEO, Conference Partners International
Stephen Meehan
CEO, Convention Centre Dublin
Aoife Delaney
SITE Ireland / Vice President Business Development, DMC Network
Nicky Logue
Irish Hotels Federation / General Manager, InterContinental Dublin
Paul Mockler
Head of Commercial Development, Fáilte Ireland
14.55 - 15.10
Tea / Coffee Break
15.10 - 17.00
Face 2 Face Networking Session
‘Speed Meetings’ between Industry Partners (PCOs, DMCs, Failte Ireland, Regional Conference Bureaux, Hotels, Venues).
This is an opportunity to gather and exchange information in face-to-face networking sessions.
17:00-17:10
Closing Remarks
AIPCO Chair, Colette Duggan
VIDEOS
Speaker Bios
Paul Kelly
Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority
Paul Kelly is the Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority. Paul leads Fáilte Ireland as it builds on the success of brands and initiatives including the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, Dublin and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. He sets the strategic direction for Fáilte Ireland to significantly shape the future development of the tourism industry, and the key priorities are driving balanced and sustainable regional and seasonal growth to best generate increased employment, exchequer and an even bigger contribution to the national economy. Paul was appointed to the post in February 2017 and brings extensive management and marketing leadership experience following a lengthy career in marketing. He is a native of Wexford and a Commerce graduate from the University College Dublin. Prior to his appointment he started his career with Procter & Gamble UK, Paul then went on to hold senior executive positions with Diageo Ireland, Aviva and the UCD Smurfit Business School. During his career, he was also involved in the development of many of the most iconic and best-known Irish and international marketing campaigns.
Rosalind Savage
Record-Holding Rower, Eco-Adventurer, Resilience Coach, Environmentalist
Rosalind is a Record-Holding Rower, Eco-Adventurer, Resilience Coach and Environmentalist. An environmental epiphany led Roz to a radical life change, leaving an 11-year career as a management consultant to become the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Through her experiences she has gained first-hand knowledge and insights into courage, resilience and personal determination. She is now a powerful advocate for unlocking potential and living a purpose-driven life.
Her realisation of two profound truths are at the heart of her adventurous experience and message: 1) we are all capable of much more than we dare to believe we are; and 2) any worthy endeavour requires an inspirational vision combined with a team committed to mastery. Roz loves sharing her insights on the power and benefits of living outside your comfort zone. Her bold teachings across both private and professional spectrums reveal the tools for success to global corporate and academic audiences. Her keynotes offer practical tools for overcoming the fear that holds us back from true engagement and fulfilment.
Her central premise is that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather feeling the fear while being sufficiently motivated to move past the fear towards success. Roz emphasizes how vital it is to leap into life’s great adventure, striking the right balance between caution and boldness.
Combining her self-taught life skills with principles from neuroscience, psychology, leadership theory and personal development, she inspires every audience she meets.
Caroline Foran
Bestselling Author, Podcaster, Award-winning Journalist, Public Speaker
Caroline Foran is the number 1 international bestselling author of Owning It, The Confidence Kit and NAKED : Ten Truths To Change Your Life. Alongside her work as an author, Caroline is a freelance journalist, writing for various key publications with a particular interest in the areas of health and wellbeing, beauty and interiors. Caroline also hosts Owning It The Anxiety Podcast which went straight to number one on the iTunes charts in Ireland upon its release. Within its first year of being released, the series passed 1 million downloads. It has also been the number 1 health podcast across the whole of the UK.Â
Oonagh O’Reilly
Director of Sales and Marketing ICC Belfast | Waterfront Hall | Ulster Hall
Oonagh was appointed to the role of Director of Sales and Marketing in 2017. Over two decades of experience equip Oonagh with an enviable track record of delivering exponential business growth within high profile organisations such as the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, where she led the team that achieved a 117% growth in income over a five-year period. During her time at as Director of Sales and Marketing at the Irish Football Association, Oonagh’s major achievements include increasing sponsorship income fivefold, a 158% increase in ticket sales following the implementation of a new sales strategy and pricing model and her campaigns received six marketing awards and the UEFA Best Fan Engagement award 2016.
Oonagh now leads a high-performing unit that are responsible for profiling two of Belfast’s most iconic venues as leaders within the conferencing and live entertainment sectors. A digital-first approach implemented under Oonagh’s leadership has witnessed exceptional success to date, including all time high occupancy rates of 81% and a 28% year on year increase in ticket sales within the venue’s live entertainment sector, without an increase in marketing spend. Alongside her multi award-winning team, Oonagh has applied the learnings of this digital-first approach to the conferencing sector and spearheads campaigns that work for the business and for the client to fulfil ICC Belfast’s mantra, ‘When we win, everyone wins’.
Stephen McNally
Deputy Chief Executive
Stephen has over 35 years of experience in the Hotel Industry. He completed his studies in Rockwell Hotel and Catering School in Tipperary. He also has extensive international experience having worked with Ramada Hotels in both the UK and Germany, and he completed the Ramada Hotel Management Development Programme, before joining Jurys Hotel Group PLC in 1989. During 17 years at Jurys which subsequently became Jurys Doyle plc. He managed the company’s hotels in both Ireland and the UK and ultimately headed up operations for the entire group including its properties in the USA.
In August 2007 he became director and Deputy Chief Executive of Dalata Hotel Group. Best known for the Clayton and Maldron Brands, the company has extensive Hotel operations in both Ireland and the UK.
He was appointed President of the Irish Hotels Federation in 2014. He also is a non-executive director of the St. Patricks Day festival. In addition, he served on the Tourism Leadership Group headed by the Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
Carlo Boersma
Director of Sales & Events
Carton House is now one of Fairmont’s newest hotels added to the collection but also now Fairmont’s oldest hotel with history dating back to 1739. The Fairmont brand positioning is Unforgettable Grand hotels in the heart of each destination and that is exactly what Carton house is.
Having undergone an extensive restoration and renovation programme over the past 2 years, Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel is ready to open it’s brand new doors in the Summer of 2021 and we look forward to welcoming you.
As Director of Sales and Events at Carton House, Carlo is the driving force behind a focused and pro-active domestic and International MICE department, leading and supporting the resort’s strategies and continuous business growth across key market segments including residential, conference, events, leisure, corporate, food & beverage, golf and spa.