Strength in diversity gives us a real Pride

14 December 2000
Strength in diversity gives us a real Pride

I SPENT last week away from Eriska, attending the Pride of Britain annual conference in Wales. Such events are always regarded by those I work with as a "jolly", but fortunately my father understands that they are rarely so.

Yes, they provide a chance to relax and meet industry colleagues away from work. However, you can never truly be off-duty as you are always representing your business and collating even the smallest piece of information which might work to your benefit.

Pride of Britain, while being a marketing consortium of like-minded hoteliers, also covers a diverse range of characters, with businesses from all areas of the market. I may gain minimal local business, while others thrive from chance trade and local corporate business. And ideas to increase food output in towns around London are unlikely to benefit properties 12 miles away from the nearest neighbour.

Attracting visitors to stay for one week at a time on an island off the west coast of Scotland requires different tactics from tempting conference delegates who stay for just six hours.

The ability to address the diversity of members and their needs must be the major task facing our new chief executive, but it also gives the consortium one of its most significant strengths. The ability to reach clients in various markets and the cross-referencing between each is a major benefit.

The group was founded nearly 20 years ago to help hoteliers from smaller establishments work together to market their properties. To this day, that aim has not changed. By learning from our peers and sharing knowledge, we hope to reach a wider audience, while not diluting our own message.

As I sat at the conference, the fundamental principle of our drive to offer the best possible package for our guests soon overrode any minor differences in our businesses.

Eriska has been a Pride of Britain member for the past seven years. In that time the group has altered, but its aims have not.

With so many larger businesses, being heard will become more difficult. But with our individual members learning and working witheach other, I'm sure we can strengthen and build on the past 20 years. n

BEPPO BUCHANAN-SMITH is director of the Isle of Eriska, a privately owned hotel on the west coast of Scotland

Next diary from Beppo Buchanan-Smith: 25January 2001

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