Since the travel industry began, when neanderthal man/woman asked someone for a piggyback to just over there, where a deal or trade could be made, it has been based on relationships and mutual benefit. If neanderthal person hadn’t heard from another neanderthal person that this other person was good at piggybacks, no transaction could have happened.

At ITM’s Inspire Conference at Celtic Manor earlier this year, 89% of delegates listed networking and connecting as their primary reason for attending. As I always say, it’s a 60-hour event and you may get half a dozen opportunities to interact with the same person.

Many of us are fortunate to have been around a while and enjoy many relationships which are much more friendships than work colleagues. Newer people to our industry sometimes suggest to us that existing longstanding relationships and friendship groups can create the perception of certain cliques.

Whilst unintentional and understandable, people routinely gravitating towards each other can make networking events more daunting for newer people.

As a society we hopefully understand better than ever that we are all different and our levels of comfort entering a busy room, initiating conversation in a bar or taking part in a table discussion vary accordingly. I reckon forums, communities and teams are healthier, smarter and just better when they’re formed of people who think differently.

So, next time you’re at an industry event, have a think and look around to see if there’s someone you could welcome into your circle. I find a question about mutual footwear makes for a good conversation starter….

itm.org.uk