The Games Afoot……
As Sherlock Holmes was fond of telling Watson before embarking on his next adventure. The summer break is over for most of us and here in the UK we have had our last bank holiday before Christmas – where does the year go! It’s a time for renewal – stiffening the sinews and all that (and in our case recovering from a 5 hour traffic jam on the A6 in France – all due to the fact they had failed to take in some cones once they had knocked off from work at 5 pm!) – queue a mad rush of workers onto the scene at 10 pm to remove said cones after they had realised a 25km traffic jam wasn’t good for anyone! Enough of this.
The reference to renewal and a new start for autumn brings me neatly I hope to the 2015 RDO Conference (RDO6) that starts in Marbella at the Don Carlos Leisure Resort and Spa on 17th September. You can go to the Conference website – www.rdoconference.org for the full programme and line-up but I think we have some interesting speakers for delegates on diverse topics – all designed to provide “take aways”- such a neat phrase that, but it is something we have had to keep in mind in compiling the programme and speakers. We have changed the format somewhat this year, allowing delegates the chance on the second afternoon to network, fix meetings, do deals or just sit at the bar. So no excuse for not taking the opportunity to get value from your delegate fee, by attending the sessions – let’s face it, you would be paying the equivalent of most of that fee to attend a seminar given by just one of the outside speakers on the programme this year so get your money’s worth! So whether it’s “20/20 Vision for the Road Ahead” with Michael Jackson (the other one), Unlocking the Sharing Economy” with Debbie Wosskow CEO of Love Home Swap,” Walking the Talk – how to increase your impact and influence” with Richard Newman from UK Body Talk, or my personal favourite title at least – “Aha to Kerching” with Guy Browning who I have heard before and can assure you is very entertaining. There is an awful lot here to enjoy, learn from and “take away”
If you haven’t yet booked, there is still time, it is undoubtedly the European timeshare event of the year and not to be missed. As we go into the Autumn there is no doubting the challenges the industry continues to face – sluggish Eurozone economies, the continuing threat from a slowdown in the Chinese economy, the on-going saga of the Spanish Supreme Court rulings and the need to assess and address the possible impact these rulings will have in Europe, plus the bringing to book of some of the fraudsters who have plundered innocent consumers with relative impunity these last few years. Everything to play for then or as Sherlock was fond of saying – actually he was quoting Shakespeare, as I am sure many of you knew. It comes from Henry V (one of my personal favourites) Act 3 Scene 1 – with apologies to our French colleagues. Enter Henry with the Dukes of Exeter, Bedford and Gloucester and assorted soldiers with scaling ladders, where before the gates of Harfleur he delivers his “Once more into the breach.” speech, which ends: “The games afoot, follow your spirit, and upon the charge, cry God for Harry, England and St George“ – cracking stuff – it is understood that when Sir Clive Woodward coached the successful England Rugby Team 1997 to 2004, including winning the World Cup in 2003 – he would play that speech to the team on the coach before a match! Glorious stuff – the “stiffening of the sinews” quote also comes for that speech.
See you in Marbella.
