100,000 Welcomes

Patrick Lamont speaks with John MacKenzie from the Roslin Innovation Centre and Professor George Crooks OBE to discuss how events instigate and promote innovation, and to learn how two of Scotland’s leading Innovation Centres are approaching COP26 and the areas in which they will look to change and adapt.

Whilst we have made some fantastic advancements in gender equality, diversity and inclusion, the industry needs to do more. Rory Archibald sits down with Amy Calvert, CEO of the Events Industry Council, Meredith Rollins, Chief Community Officer of PCMA and Derrick Johnson, Chief Diversity Officer & Director of Event Strategy, Talley Management Group, to discuss what their respective associations a...

Fiona MacKinnon sits down with Andrea Nicholas, CEO of Green Tourism to discuss where Scotland is innovating across the scope of sustainability and delivering the practical solutions needed to adapt to climate impacts and address loss and damage.

What can organisers and event planners do to make their events and incentives greener and support the local community? Fiona MacKinnon meets with Dear Green Coffee and Revive to discuss how incentives can be an opportunity to give back to the environment.

Patrick Lamont meets Campbell Arnott, International Business Development Manager at Glasgow Convention Bureau and Jessica McClure, CPD Operations Officer, Law Society of Scotland to discuss how business events can bring change and empowerment to people and groups that aren’t typically involved in the sector, and to explore the perspective of youth through the experience of young people entering th...

Fiona MacKinnon is joined by Jonathan Heastie, Exhibition Director at RX Global to discuss the role of business events in transforming to a renewable energy society and the benefits for organisers of hosting environmental events in Scotland.

Venues and organisations have invested heavily into sustainable practices but what is the true cost? Rory Archibald sits down with Sven Bossu, CEO of International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), to discuss implementing sustainable practices for a better future for our industry.

In this episode Rory Archibald sits down with representatives from three of Scotland’s largest venues to reflect on the past 18 months and to discuss recovery and the future of events.

Rory Archibald sits down with representatives from Glasgow Convention Bureau, Dundee & Angus Convention Bureau and Aberdeen Convention & Events Bureau to reflect on the past 18 months and the plans they devised to rebuild confidence with event organisers.

Meetings and events are back! Gillian Docherty MBE, CEO of the DataLab Scotland and Patrick Lamont from VisitScotland Business Events discuss the importance of events and the increased demand for face-to-face meetings after a year of trying to do it digitally.

Amanda Ferguson of Edinburgh First at the University of Edinburgh, and Gordon Hodge from the University of Strathclyde discuss how the universities engage with business events ambassadors, the role of educational institutes in a post-pandemic world and the renewed appreciation of knowledge sharing and upskilling.

Neil Brownlee meets with Ben Goedegebuure from Maritz Global Events to discuss the values of the organisation and explore how the corporate and incentive sector can become more sustainable and what the market can do to change policies.

Our international association partners sit down with Rory Archibald to discuss how associations can pave the way for change. We explore their organisation’s core values, how associations organise events to ensure they are ‘sustainable’ and what the global industry can do to support further change.

Welcome to our podcast, COP26 and the Journey to Change, a podcast brought to you by VisitScotland’s Business Events team.

In the first episode of our new podcast series, Neil and Rory from the VisitScotland Business Events team discuss the Journey to Change campaign, its alignment to COP26’s presidency schedule and how business events can be a driver for change.

In Doric: Far div ye bide? In English: Where do you live? Looking to answer this in Doric? You’re either a ‘toonser’ (live in a city) or a ‘teuchter’ (live in a rural area)!

In Doric: Like snaa aff a dyke. In English: Like snow off a wall. In the northeast, things like good butteries (a tasty, flaky, savoury bread roll) don’t ‘sell out quickly’; they go ‘like snaa aff a dyke!’

In Doric: Ye’re a sicht fer sair een. In English: You’re a sight for sore eyes. Freshly caught fish, a cold pint of craft beer, a world-famous Aberdeen Angus steak and delicious Cullen Skink are just some of the delights you’ll find in the northeast larder that will make you utter this phrase!

In Doric: It’s aye caul in Aiberdeenshire in November, myne an hap up! In English: It’s always cold in Aberdeenshire in November, remember to wrap up! As Scottish comedian Billy Connolly famously said, there’s no such thing as bad weather; just the wrong clothes!

In Doric: If yer bradie’s ower het, ye’ll hae tae blaa it. In English: If your bridie/pie is too hot, you’ll have to blow on it. A warning heard in pastry shops throughout the northeast!

In Doric: I’m pechin. In English: I’m out of breath. A walk along the spectacular Aberdeenshire Coastal Trail will leave you breathless in more ways than one!

In Doric: Foo’re ye deein? In English: How are you doing? Doric speakers are a friendly bunch; expect to hear this a lot on your travels around the northeast!

In Doric: Fit a loon! In English: What a man/boy! In the northeast, there are no ‘boys’ and ‘girls;’ there are ‘loons’ and ‘quines.’

In Doric: Dinna fash yersel. In English: Don’t trouble yourself. Just to keep you on your linguistic toes, ‘fash’ can also mean ‘fish’ in Doric!.

In Doric: Cam ower an gie’s a bosie. In English: Come over and give me a cuddle. If in doubt, a big bosie can solve most problems.