A portrait of Gillian Cruddas, chair of the Meetings Committee
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Gillian is an ECM Board member, and for the last two years has been chairing the Meetings Committee. This committee determines the scope and content of the Spring, Summer and Autumn meetings and monitors member feedback formally and informally. In essence, it seeks to maintain the quality and relevance of the three annual meetings which are the basis of ECM networking activity. Gillian’s career in tourism spans a thirty year period. The initial spark came from wanting to be an air stewardess, and there followed jobs in which she was an area sales manager for DFDS sea routes, a ski tours manager in Italy and France, and a hotel manager in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. She took up her current job as Chief Executive of Visit York in 1995 and last year was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Honours list for services to tourism. Her interests outside work include travel, hill walking, cinema and – last but not least – spending time with husband Len.
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What motivated you to join the ECM Board and chair the Meetings Committee?
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I am a keen supporter of the work of ECM. Being on the Board gives me an opportunity to discuss strategic issues with some very interesting people!
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For me York as a city is…
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…distinctive, historic and full of friendly people
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The project at work I am most preoccupied with at the moment…
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…trying to get the balance sheet sorted for April
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My favourite activity…
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…is skiing
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The place I would most like to visit…
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…is the Himalaya
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A successful destination in the world of tourism….
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…difficult as I wouldn’t want to upset any of my ECM colleagues so I’ll go with Vancouver
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If I could change one thing in the world, I would…
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…try to find a way to make air travel more enjoyable – it used to be, but now it just seems to be an endurance test
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