Talk about international. MPI leader Patrick Delaney's team has announced a deluge of new offices in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Fitting that the Dublin-based Ovation Global made its announcement right here at the IMEX America trade show in Las Vegas. The company's nine new partner locations include:
- Bulgaria - Lidia Tours
- Iceland - Iceland Congress
- Israel - Eshet Incentives & Conferences
- Japan - The J Team Co. Ltd
- Lebanon - Infomed
- Luxembourg - Luxembourg and More
- Namibia - Terra Nova Tours
- Slovakia - Enjoy Slovakia DMC
- Sri Lanka - Golden Isles Travel Ltd
In Canada, destination services will be provided by a wholly owned, full service operation lead by industry veteran (and MPI member) Emily Edwards, CMP, and operating from offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Whistler.
It's exciting to see what our own MPI members are doing, and it seems like they're everywhere on the show floor. BTW, that's Patrick in the photo!
Meanwhile, Ovation announced the winner of its 2011 Huggability Award: Samme Allen—the head of the MPI U.K. and Ireland Chapter. Allen was nominated for being "immensely supportive of everyone in the meetings world, kind and dynamic, a pleasure to work with and an inspiration to the industry."
The 2010 winner was Barbra Albrecht of the Switzerland Convention and Incentive Bureau. For more information on the Huggability Award, nominees and shortlisted candidates, visit www.ovationdmc.com. And, of course, that's Samme to the left.