From time to time, I write OCMG updates and post them here,                                             but I was recently interviewed by a freelance corporate travel                                             business writer about my perspective on the growth of our                                                 company and trends that I see in the corporate group                                                           meeting and event arena, so I thought I'd share part of the                                                   article with you... 











Lori Lombardi Ryan is a 38 year veteran in the corporate group travel and events industry. Her companies are based in Orlando, Florida but her clients are global. Before joining OCMG, she spent 7 years with the Walt Disney Corporation in the Marketing and Parks Events divisions. Lori's opportunity to join OCMG, which led to her ultimately becoming the President and owner of the company, was a move that she couldn't pass up. Recently, Lori shared her perspective on the growth of her company.

Does it feel like 30 years to you in managing and then being in the leadership role with OCMG?
"I've been involved with OCMG for 31 years, actually - but who's counting, right? No, it really doesn't. It literally seems like only yesterday that I acquired the company and with a blink of an eye - here we are after all these years. It's amazing all the changes, hurdles and trends that we have overcome to see the growth that we have today. Thanks to a great team and some incredible clients who, in turn, have referred me to other clients, we have been able to maintain our growth."

Looking back, what benchmarks and hurdles have you experienced in the industry?
"Early on, we experienced growing pains just like every fledgling company, but we learned from them. I'd say one of the major challenges was how to master the many changes in technology that occurred over the years. We needed to stay current. Today, software systems designed to support corporate group travel have given us the ability to efficiently customize meeting apps to guide our clients' guests through the registration process, from meeting management systems to accessing instantaneous guest feedback that is so powerful in delivering a successful meeting. Add to that, we use a variety of online business services and systems that allow us to be anywhere in the world and still be able to service our clients, no matter where we are at the time. Covid threw a curveball at everyone in this industry, but we quickly pivoted and offered online, virtual and hybrid meeting platforms for speakers and attendees all over the world. It may sound simple, but there's a lot of behind-the-scenes coordination that goes into a smooth and seamless virtual meeting."

What do you look for in an OCMG team member?
"There's not just one certain thing that I look for in a potential team member, but rather a whole set of qualities that I want reflected in our company values. First and foremost, or team members must be client centered. We are all about satisfying our clients and meeting their needs, so a team member focused on client success is critical. Team members need to be nimble with the ability to think on their feet and solves problems on the fly. I look for potential team members that have a high energy personality - this isn't a 9 to 5 position. Everyone on Team OCMG must be able to wear lots of hats, juggle and execute flawlessly. It takes a special and creative kind of person to meet our standards. I am blessed to have exactly that in the people on my team."

Would you share some trends that you are seeing in the group travel industry?
"Well, thankfully,  it appears that the hesitation to travel due to Covid is behind us. There is so much pent-up demand for new and exciting destinations by our clients. It may have been awhile since many of them have had the opportunity to hold an in-person meeting. Covid was a lean time for everyone. We managed through it, but now companies are going back to holding the group meetings, conferences, conventions and incentive reward trips that they haven't been able to do in the last four years. Travel is back in a big way and companies see trips and great destinations as fantastic motivators for just about every age group and demographic."

What are the destination trends?
"Simply put, there are two types of destination 'segments' - Domestic and International. In the 30+ years with OCMG, I have never seen so much demand for international group travel. Just in 2023 and 2024, we have taken or will soon take, groups to Switzerland, multiple locations in Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Our clients are asking us to perform site visits to a variety of international destinations that are outside of the usual cookie cutter travel locations. On the domestic side, our clients are asking for new experiential destinations where they can bring their remote working employees together to build better in-person team bonding. There is nothing better than face to face interactions. Destination meetings and activities really make a difference when 50% or more of your employees work remotely. Hawaii, Florida and California, with the perfect weather and activities they all provide, are always in demand. Recently, we've had several group meetings in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado that showcased stunningly beautiful surroundings and year-round activities. I can't leave out Las Vegas, where our clients are loving all the new resorts, meeting spaces and activities that only Las Vegas can provide. And let's not forget Orlando, where our clients can blend family and meeting time together with all the magical options Orlando provides. Country music is hot right now. Nashville, TN and Austin, TX are two very exciting destinations for clients looking to mix fun into their meetings."

Any future projects that you are working on?
"OCMG is always looking for new opportunities to expand. We are launching our first foray into specialized tours for non-corporate groups this fall with our first leisure group tour of Italy. So many of our clients ask if we do non-corporate group travel. If our upcoming trip goes as planned, we are looking to add additional private/leisure group tours to the 2025 calendar. We want to elevate non-corporate group travel in a fresh and relevant way...so stay tuned for all kinds of new and exciting adventures from OCMG."