Inspiring Success Stories
Tourism Innovation Day 2010 presents a full day’s programme:
- An impressive and entertaining mix of high profile speakers to inspire you, discussing cutting edge ideas to make you think how you should change your business.
- Learning sessions will include leading practitioners - people at the forefront of tourism in Scotland and beyond - prepared to spill the beans about their success and equip you with the tools you need to emulate their achievements!
Conference Chair:
Muriel Gray – Broadcaster, journalist, and best-selling author Muriel Gray was born in Glasgow in 1958.
After gaining an honours degree in art from Glasgow School of Art in 1979, she first pursued a career in illustration and then in three-dimensional design as assistant head of design at the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh. Muriel's broadcasting career began in 1982 as a co-presenter of Channel 4’s music show The Tube with Paula Yates and Jools Holland. This led to a twenty year career in television and radio, encompassing everything from the arts and entertainment to long running factual series and current affairs. In 1991 Muriel created a media storm with her series “Art is Dead, Long Live TV” when she fooled the art establishment and the entire country with a series of fictitious artists!
In addition to her broadcasting career, Muriel was the first woman rector of Edinburgh University, a post she served for three years.
Muriel began her writing career with a non-fiction best selling mountaineering book in the late eighties entitled The First Fifty, (about the Munro Mountains) and in 1993 with the publication of her first horror novel The Trickster, followed by two more - Furnace and The Ancient. Stephen King called The Ancient the “one thriller you have to read in 2001. Scary and un-putdownable.”
Muriel lives in Glasgow with her husband and three children. After her family, her other passions are mountaineering, snowboarding, horror cinema and growing trees.
Speakers confirmed include:
Gareth Williams, CEO of Skyscanner, the biggest flight search engine in Europe.
Gareth became obsessed with computers after going to Manchester University to study mathematics and computing. It was on this course that he met ‘fellow geek’ Bonamy Grimes (Skyscanner’s Chief Development Officer). Going on to work as a programmer for hire, Gareth became annoyed that it was so difficult to find cheap flights. Combining this frustration with an appreciation of the nascent Google he worked on the idea of an easy-to-use way of tracking down the best travel deals. At a pub brainstorming session of IT contractors he met physics graduate Barry Smith (Skyscanner’s Director of Business Development) who liked the idea. Gareth was still friends with Bonamy and the three worked on the idea, starting with the perspective of the customer. Skyscanner is now a global brand and offers flight searches in 20 languages and 64 currencies receiving about two-thirds of its business from outside the UK. Traffic currently comes to the site from 233 countries around the world, with 7.5 million people performing 50 million searches on the site each month. With a head office in Edinburgh, where Gareth lives with his wife and two children, Skyscanner is the most successful online business in Scotland.
Michael Willmott, Trajectory Partnership, Michael is one of the founding partners of Trajectory, a futures consultancy set up in September 2008.
Before that he co-founded the Future Foundation in 1996 and was Deputy Chairman of the Henley Centre for Forecasting (1988-1996). Michael is the author of two highly respected books on consumer and business trends (Citizen Brands and Complicated Lives) and has over 30 years experience of research and analysis in the field of social and consumer change. His interests are very varied and he has consulted on a range of diverse issues. But, his is best known for his work on consumer lifestyles and trends. He clients are in both the public and private sectors and have included Historic Royal Palaces, Nokia, Grosvenor, Whitbread, McDonald’s, Barclaycard, Co-op, BT, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the European Travel Commission. Michael has presented in a number of countries including Austria, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States. A sociologist and statistician by training, Michael is a full member of the Market Research Society and a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society.
Chris Barez-Brown, Founder, Upping Your Elvis, author of How to Have Kick Ass Ideas and former Global Head of Innovation Capability and Director ?What If!
After a stint as a training manager in heavy industry, Chris realised that marketing was his thing. He now shares his wisdom with anyone who'll listen - he's a forward thinker and an excellent marketing, branding, innovation & creativity speaker.
Chris joined ?What If! in early 1998 where he’s worked in all areas of innovation but has spent most of his time unleashing the creative potential of companies all around the world. In August 2001 he founded ‘The Learning Team’ where he has focussed much of his attention around combining his creativity experience with that of coaching and has developed the concept of ‘Creative State’ TM. In 2006 Chris bought all his years of experience and thinking and authored How to Have Kick-Ass Ideas (Harper Collins).
Chris is a superb motivational speaker inspires thousands of people around the globe on how to build innovation, energy and confidence and how to unleash their creative potential. He is passionate about embracing creativity in everyday life as well as within business. His special area of interest is the place where organisational creativity intersects with personal creative development.
Wilma Finlay is MD of Cream o’ Galloway which she and her husband launched in 1994 as a farm diversification business.
Cream o’ Galloway manufactures luxury ice cream which is widely distributed throughout Scotland and in many areas of the UK. They have just had their first ever export sale - to South Korea!
Cream o’ Galloway also runs a successful visitor centre with around 70,000 visitors annually. The business employs 19 permanent staff and an additional 35 seasonal staff in the peak summer months.
Wilma has been Chair of Savour the Flavours of Dumfries & Galloway, Vice Chair of Dumfries & Galloway Tourist Board and a Director of the Southern Uplands Partnership. She is currently a director of the Gatehouse Development Initiative and is on the advisory group of the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area.
In 2006 Wilma was awarded an MBE for services to Tourism.
Her husband David continues to manage the organic dairy farm and is, Wilma claims, the innovator in the business.
WORKSHOP SPEAKERS:
John Strachan is MD and founder of Maximillion, an event management and communications agency established in 1989 and now delivering some 200 events each year throughout the UK and beyond.
Operated from Newbridge on the edge of Edinburgh, Maximillion helps organisations improve their performance by communicating more effectively with their community through a live event or team building experience.
Maximillion have won a host of environmental awards including GTBS Gold, Sustainable Tourism at the Thistle Awards, Environmental Awareness at the National Business Awards and The Green Award at the Scottish Event Awards.
John is a Trustee for Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland, Director and Deputy Chair of Kirknewton Community Development Trust, sits on the management group for the Harperrig Local Nature Reserve and was founder of ScotEvents.com.
Paul Easto, Chief Executive, Wilderness Scotland
Following an early career in property and environmental consultancy, Paul switched to the travel industry in 2001. Recognising the world class potential of Scotland as an adventure travel destination, he co-founded Wilderness Scotland; an inbound tour operator. From small beginnings, Wilderness Scotland has grown to establish a market leading reputation for high quality and innovative adventure experiences in the wild places of Scotland. In the 2009, Wilderness Scotland was named by National Geographic as the Best Adventure Travel Company in Europe.
The company's commitment to sustainable tourism and wilderness conservation has also contributed to its success and recognition, including being named as the Best Green Tour Operator in the 2007 World Travel Awards. He is actively involved in the promotion of sustainable tourism at a local and strategic level, and is the sustainability champion of the Tourism Innovation Group. In recent years, he has enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experience working with and advising the public and private sector in several European destinations.
An avid skier and mountain biker he still occasionally finds himself in at the deep end, researching new routes and guiding one or two trips each year.
Bill Barber of Bluebell Croft in Ardnamurchan www.bluebellcroft.co.uk has been involved with food for 35 years.
Having farmed trout for 12 years Bill then ran Old Pines Restaurant with Rooms with his wife Sukie for 15 years until 6 years ago, when they decided it was time to slow down. Now running a real working croft and producing much of their own food, they offer self catering with a difference in a luxury house and cottage sleeping 2-16. Guests can eat only home grown food, from meat to salad leaves, eggs to home-smoked goodies and order supper/dinner by Sukie former 'Rural Chef of the Year' and winner of VisitScotland's Flavour of Scotland. They are now installing a wood burning boiler and wind turbine to eventually create a carbon neutral holiday and are keen supporters of Sustainable Tourism and Slow Food.
Maggie Picken is the owner of St Andrews Coach Houses; three self catered holiday cottages situated at the edge of a working farm close to St Andrews.
Maggie was originally a lawyer working both in St Andrews and Edinburgh for over 20 years. Her love of property combined with a desire to have her own business came together in this project.
Formerly a derelict stable and cart shed today these three coach houses have been reborn as self catering holiday accommodation with a focus on contemporary style and modern lines.
Opening at the end of 2008 St Andrews Coach Houses are currently number one in their category on Trip Advisor. Their first review was posted on 14th April 2009 and to date they have a total of 44 reviews of which 43 are all at the top five star grading.
David Johnston, Development Manager, Montpeliers (Edinburgh) Ltd.
David has worked in the hospitality industry since 1987 when he joined the Caledonian Hotel and completed two years of front of house training, before moving to Scottish & Newcastle where he trained as a manager. At the age of 24 he joined the then newly formed Montpeliers Partnership as a General Manager to develop and run their then second venture, Iguana Cafe & Bar, which opened to great critical acclaim in 1992.
David played a pivotal role in the development of all of Montpelier’s ventures including Indigo (yard) in 1996, Rick’s in 1999, Opal Lounge in 2000 and Candy Kitchen & Bar in 2004 - all of which have been widely recognised for their stylish interiors, superior levels of service and product quality. Having overseen the operation of these venues until 2004, David then assumed the role of Development Manager to focus on Montpeliers most impressive venture to date, the 33 room boutique hotel, bar and restaurant, Tigerlily, and adjoining nightclub, Lulu. This development process was to take two years with Tigerlily opening in June 2006 and Lulu following in October the same year.
Having been made a Director in 2007, David has helped guide the Montpelier group from strength to strength, collecting countless accolades for outstanding service, design and operational expertise - most recently picking up the Multiple Operator Award at the Dram Awards in 2009.
Audrey Hogan
Caley Cruisers is a family business, established in 1970 they are proud to be celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. They were the first company to offer self charter boating holidays on Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal and part of a group offering full boatyard and chandlery services at Caley Marine and the brand new 150 berth Inverness Marina which was opened in 2009 by Dame Ellen MacArthur.
Audrey Hogan is one of the daughters of the founders and has been managing the hire fleet for over ten years. During this time she has introduced 8 new classes of cruiser to the fleet with the fit out of over 20 brand new vessels on site at the company's base near Muirtown in Inverness, developed new training procedures, rebranded and modernised the company. Caley Cruisers is a unique company operating a first class service and a luxury product in a truly fantastic cruising destination.
Craig Stevenson
Founded in 1988 in Kilmarnock, Braehead Foods has become synonymous with fine food production and in particular with game. The company has always aimed to make high quality foods more readily available to chefs and now occupies 30,000 square feet in a modern factory including a demonstration kitchen, a cook school, restaurant, take-away and shop.
We are grateful for the support for Tourism Innovation Day 2010 from:
Praise for previous Tourism Innovation Day events:
"The utilisation of original thinking was inspiring; the practical examples were very useful, and gave useful pointers to bringing significant and lasting changes to our organisation."
"High calibre individuals who have actually 'been there and done that' in the tourism industry, so felt highly relevant and motivating. Great mix of the visionary stuff with the practical/pragmatic."