Friday, February 20, 2009

Fife Tourism and Business Conference

The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa is the venue for Fife’s annual tourism trade event on Tuesday 31st March.

Titled “Seizing Opportunities, Today and Tomorrow”, the conference is open to delegates located in Fife, or elsewhere, and has attracted an impressive array of speakers, each of whom will inspire delegates with ways to give their businesses every chance of success in these challenging times. In addition to the headline presentations there will also be a series of workshops, a networking lunch and a range of exhibitors. Aimed at business owners, managers, team leaders and supervisors—in fact, anyone who offers a service to customers – the event is organised by Springboard Scotland on behalf of St Andrews World Class Initiative, Scottish Enterprise, Fife Council, VisitScotland and Skills Development Scotland.

Stephen Carter, the former General Manager of St Andrews Bay Resort and now the GM at Cameron House Hotel at Loch Lomond will be the conference chairman. In his 35-year career, he has become recognised as an hotelier with a remarkable passion for the industry and the people within it.

Bob Downie is Chief Executive of the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, a position he has held since 1998, since when Britannia has become a five-star visitor attraction, achieving VisitScotland’s highest ever grading percentage mark and recently gaining the 2009 Conde Nast Award for Most Excellent Venue in the UK for corporate events.

Debbie Taylor is General Manager of the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa. She arrived in St Andrews in 2007, having formerly held the post of GM at The Balmoral in Edinburgh, and is currently overseeing a major expansion programme at the resort. Debbie is recognised as one of the country’s leading hoteliers and is well-known for her dynamic leadership qualities.

Robin Worsnop is the founder and Managing Director of Rabbie’s Trail Burners, based in Edinburgh. The company, set up in 1993, now operates tours from both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and employs over 30 people. RTB has won two Thistle Awards, is a Gold Award holder in the Green Tourism Business Scheme, and is classed as a five-star tour company by VisitScotland.

Other speakers and workshop leaders at the event will include Russell Ferguson, a Chartered Marketer who advises businesses on profitable and effective marketing techniques; Sarah Grant, VisitScotland’s Growth Fund Adviser for North and Central Scotland; Jenny Lambie, founder of the Lambie Gilchrist Consultancy, which specialises in helping companies deliver the best possible customer service; and Alan Rankin, who is the Chief Executive of Aviemore and the Cairngorms Destination Marketing Organisation.

The event will commence at 9.30 am (registration from 8.45 am) and conclude at 4.00 pm. The delegate fee (which includes lunch) is £30 inclusive of VAT. To obtain a booking form simply telephone 07724 112954 or e-mail your name and organisation to joanna.parker@scotent.co.uk.

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