If I were a meetings doctor

Yes, indeed, if I were a meetings doctor, I would prescribe one hour of Christian Mutschlechner’s ‘bid book-therapy’ to everyone who is involved in association congresses.
I won’t negotiate about his fees though. I’ve already shed my thoughts on bid books on my worldwide meeting blog (see other entries).

This time I’m writing about my extraordinary experiences in Tallinn during the 21st edition of the EFCT Summer School last August. To me, this summer course is still the best basic training for young people in our industry. I was glad that Tuula Lindberg refreshed my memory and told me that the first Summer School had 16 registered attendants and took place in Gmünden in 1986.
In Tallin they were 66: 16 boys and 50 girls. Does this natural division confirm the statistics that the meetings industry is a female industry, although led by a male industry?
The syndicate discussion on the Summer School’s closing day gave me the greatest pleasure: The students were split into 4 groups and had to practise what they had learned during the seminar, using their old or news skill to prepare “Bidding for a congress”.
For this edition, they had to dig into a tough case study. The assignment of the always committed course leader Tatjana Radovic sounded like this: “You represent the Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau and are to present a bid for the 11th OWHC World Symposium in 2011 (Organization of World Heritage Cities)."
By what I’ve heard from these reporters, Tallinn - exploiting its medieval look - could score here.
And I think the jury agreed. Afterwards, Andrea Bauer (photo left) - who chaired the jury - told me that she experienced the bid presentation as if it was the real thing. And I have never seen such a full happy smile on the face of Association Guru Christian (photo right). Even for the old industry dogs (they were all there) it’s good to be confronted with the fresh honest views of young people on meeting industry stuff, …once in a while.

I myself enjoyed it to be surrounded by young people and learn. And there is so much more to learn: bid books are all too often trapped in tight touristy alleyways and much training is needed for young people to give decent presentations. The one thing missing at Summer School is a course in presentation techniques. Count me in next year, I’ll keep a free spot in my agenda. European Cities Marketing scored again, as I might add. It’s been a while!

And I think the brave reporters deserve a place on my worldwide meeting blog:
Cocoon group:
Kristina Kuznetsova: Project Manager Eventus Group DMC/PCO (Tallinn)
Georgios Drakopoulos: General Director SETE (Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises)

Georgios is a distinct leader, which was confirmed by all the female students.

Adventurers:
Charlotte Brynger, Project Manager Gothenburg Sweden. Someone told me that she speaks seven languages. Next time I'll talk to her in French.

Made Pandis: Frens Ltd, Tallinn

Dreamers (winning group!):
Anja Loetscher: the new director of the Geneva Tourism and Convention Bureau. I’ve named her the hip matriarch of all students.

Annely Alteberg: Destination Marketing Manager of Estonian Air. I had to include a picture of someone with blond hairs rustling in the wind. But also because she represented the local suppliers in the bid process with flair.

Ivanka Lukic: Project Assistant for the Slovenian Convention Bureau.

Bad Boys:

Lidia Gabriela Herciu, International Conference Centre Bucharest, Romania and Vilma Šlajerová, Prague Congress Centre. They can share a picture as they pointed their noses in the same direction during the presentation.

Just because boys were in the minority at the Summer School, I reward too extra photographs:
Panagiotis Arkoumaneas: Managing Director Athens Tourism & Economic Development Agency. According to the female coinaisseurs, the most handsome of the bunch.

Daniel Svarc: Sales Representative Prague Congress Centre. The most charming one, say the female and male experts. Wow, what should I think of that!, he must have thought.