As a Hosts Global Member, representing Hosts as the premier Destination Management Company in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware we don’t often get to see our other Hosts Global Member’s destinations. In fact as a DMC, almost every event we do is here in our Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware footprint. Once a year, however, we get to host the best clients in the world as part of the Hosts Global Forum. This year’s forum was in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and it lived up to every expectation set!
Here were my three take aways from this year’s forum;
Invest where you spend the time:
No detail was overlooked for the five day forum, but the ballroom transformation into an outdoor garden oasis for the general session set up was breathtaking and energizing. It would be easy to justify not spending on the general session room and put more toward evening outings, but spending money where we spent a majority of the day together really left a big impression and set the stage for some wonderful education and presentations
Partnerships:
Whenever there was an opportunity for the host DMC, Maloney and Kelly, to accept praise for the wonderful experience they were creating, they immediately turned and shared praise with the Northern Ireland tourism board, Hastings Hospitality as the hotel partner, and Hosts Global for their support. It is exactly how we strive to operate, as a fantastic partner to clients and industry partners.
Bridge the gap:
In one of the most fun and memorable evenings, there was seamless outdoor entertainment at every turn, bringing to life an already vibrant outdoor pub setting. It seemed like these street performers were always there for the masses, but a secret of the DMC world was that they were actually brought in to make the areas shine bright. Locals and guests mingled with delight to the music and atmosphere created with ease of unforgettable performers.
Create the once in a lifetime:
Creating experiences that a visitor can’t get on their own is the trademark of what DMC’s do best. For the attendees at the Hosts Global Forum this included an evening reception at the City Hall, as well as a welcome speech by the Lord Mayor of Belfast. It was a remarkable touch, and an experience we could never get on our own. A hugely impact-full moment in an unforgettable trip.
