#WITWednesday – May Event Round-Up by Julia MacGregor

As the #YOYP WIT Board Member, one of the things I am passionate about is ensuring that young people working in the industry have access to mentors, and the opportunity to learn about the industry, outwith their 9-5. 

I know from speaking to my peers, in a world where we spend more time interacting with people on our social media feeds than in person, attending events can be very daunting, and sometimes I worry we are losing the art of conversation – but that’s another blog piece all together!

Earlier this month we launched the first of our #WITWednesday networking events. After talking to WIT members and guests at some of our more structured events, they expressed the need for more informal networking events. An opportunity to grab a coffee, or a drink, (depending on the time of day!) and have a chat about what’s happening in the industry.

We kicked off with the first event at The Place Hotel on York Place in Edinburgh. The sun was shining, the coffees and pastries were on the go, and hotel staff were busy setting up in their beautiful garden area for a corporate event – now that’s a gem of a location over the summer months, but I digress!

We welcomed roughly 20 attendees to our first event, with a real mix of people from across the tourism industry, and a cross section of roles. From sales executives to managers and business owners, it was a really diverse mix. Welcomed warmly by WIT board member Karen, and Becky from the Place Hotel, I was instantly put at ease, and had a truly enjoyable hour chatting content creation ideas and LinkedIn workshops. It was a brilliant way to start the day, and I returned to my desk with new ideas, enthusiasm and a few new contacts.

At the next WIT Wednesday event we’ll be swapping coffee for cocktails on June 27 at Harry’s Bar in Edinburgh, you can sign up here.

Entry is free, it’s just the cost of your drinks on the night, and we simply ask that you register your interest.

I really hope to see you there, and if you can, why not bring a younger member of your team and introduce them to some new contacts in the industry.