Eoghan Corry is an Irish journalist, author and broadcaster. Since 2002 he has edited Ireland’s biggest circulation travel publication, Travel Extra.

Brian is Head of Customer Engagement and e-Marketing at Tourism Ireland, where he leads the digital activity, achieving record growth. Brian has extensive experience across all major digital marketing channels with emphasis on performance management and evaluation.

James is Director – Trident Holiday Homes – 2008 to date
Director & founder Discovery Holidays 1998 to 2008
Financial Controller – British Holidays 1995 – 1998 – part of Bourne Leisure which is the largest holiday park operator in the UK
ISCF – past Treasurer 2008-2010
Enjoy cycling the Wicklow Hills on the weekends and trying not to look too foolish in head to toe lycra !

 

Carlos is the Secretary General of the European Holiday Home Association (EHHA) working intensely in the holiday home industry to create a greater understanding among politicians, decision makers and the public of the industry’s contribution and importance as well as to provide the best conditions for the companies and tourists in the sector. With a Master in Economics from the University of Copenhagen and also working as the director of the Danish Holiday Home Association, Carlos’ aim is to unify the short term rental industry internationally.

Niall Gibbons
Niall Gibbons is Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland. He oversees the marketing of the island of Ireland as a tourism destination across the world, leading a team of 168 staff in more than 20 markets. 2018 was the best year ever for tourism to the island of Ireland, when 11.2 million overseas visitors came here, contributing €5.86BN to the economy and supporting over 325,000 jobs across the island. The World Economic Forum has ranked Ireland 3rd in the world out of 136 countries for ‘effectiveness of marketing and branding to attract tourists’. Niall is a business graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. He is President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He also sits on the Export Trade Council for the Irish Government, is a member of Culture Ireland’s Expert Advisory Committee and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality in Ireland.

Niall will be speaking about ‘Brand Ireland – what do Tourism Ireland have in mind for our sector?’.

Gerardine Lennon

Gerardine Lennon is the Manager of Lough Lannagh Holiday Village and together with her husband Paul are responsible for the management and marketing of the complex, comprising of holiday homes, conference centre and B & B accommodation. Gerardine has developed and adapted operations to more profitable markets over the past 15 years. They explore new areas of development (as recently featured in At Your Service, on RTE1).

Mairéad Winters, Acting Tourism Marketing Officer, Munster Vales,
Munster Vales is a new inland tourism destination in the heart of Munster, incorporating the Comeragh, Knockmealdown, Galtee, Ballyhoura and Nagles mountain ranges. The purpose of Munster Vales is to promote the geographical area as a unique brand, linking the counties of Waterford, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick and everything in between. Supported by the County Councils in Tipperary, Waterford, Cork & Limerick.

Mairéad has over 12 years experience working in tourism, previously worked within visitor engagement in Fáilte Ireland. Mairéad has a BA in Communication Studies, MSc Cultural Management and MSc in Business Management,

John Bermingham wandered down many different roads before finding his way home to Mullinahone, Co Tipperary.
He’s had a varied career including stints as a civil servant, farmer, musician and guitar teacher.

Fifteen years ago John and his wife Monika got a mad notion to renovate the old farmhouse where he was born.
Crocanoir, a ruin for over forty years was transformed into an award winning tourist destination with a difference.

John weaves his passion for music, history and genealogy into the business
and has invited many of his favourite musicians to perform in concert there.

To get away from it all he plays with ‘Reel to Reel’ a nine piece Kilkenny based band.
Much of the farm has been planted in recent years so the guitar is often swapped for a chainsaw

John enjoys people more than cows and loves being able to live an alternative life in the place where he grew up.

Mike Ortegon is HomeAway’s Director of Global Channel Connectivity Partners. Mike leads the teams who work closely with Property Management Software companies who integrate into HomeAway’s platform
Mike joined HomeAway in 2012 as the global sales operations leader where he helped build out the sales enablement team as HomeAway was building their sale organisation.
Prior to HomeAway, Mike worked for a global direct marketing company who supported Fortune 100 companies in sales and marketing.
Mike is a native Texan from Austin and currently living in London.

Irish connection: Mike’s has roots in the west of Ireland. His wife’s parents are from Ballymote co Sligo

Robert is Managing Director of SuperControl, the online booking and management system used by self-catering accommodation and businesses in the UK and in more than 40 countries worldwide. He has an entrepreneurial background. After taking on three family-run holiday cottages when he left university, Robert invested in the properties and built a website and marketing strategy to progress from agency-managed to a privately managed business achieving 90% occupancy within three years. Robert went on to start SuperWebs web design and digital marketing agency in 1999 before launching SuperControl in 2007 to a UK holiday rentals market hungry for a specialist property management system.

Today, SuperControl has more than 1,600 customers, including the owners and property managers of more than 27,000 cottages, villas, caravan parks, glampsites, canal boats, yurts, campervans and more. SuperControl continues to grow and has a technical office in Poland supporting its Castle Douglas-based head office.

Involved in the holiday rental industry since 1998, Robert is a long-term committee member of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, an industry engagement adviser to VisitScotland and an active participant in the Vacation Rental Managers Association and European Holiday Homes Association.

Robert will be speaking about the importance of reviews and customer feedback