Poor Communication Plagued Gathering

[Oldhiker]

I was amazed when I went to the Gathering how few people in Scotland had heard of it. We got lots of information here in the States. It was like the planer did not want Scots to come... thats who we Yanks want to see and meet - our roots.

Great idea... poor execution. I had a good time but it could have been much better.

[Jock Scot]

I was amazed when I went to the Gathering how few people in Scotland had heard of it. We got lots of information here in the States. It was like the planer did not want Scots to come... thats who we Yanks want to see and meet - our roots.

Great idea... poor execution. I had a good time but it could have been much better.

You are so right, we locals did indeed feel as though we were not welcome and that was made abundantly clear right from the start.

[MacMillans son]

You are so right, we locals did indeed feel as though we were not welcome and that was made abundantly clear right from the start.

Can you elaborate for us Jock?

I can't imagine what they would have been thinking, unless maybe they feared clashes between natives and foreigners ?? What was your take on it?

[Downunder Kilt]

I have seen it happened time and time again, the head "organisers" charge massive "consultant fees", which are of course paid, then the workers who actually do the work and get the thing happening are hung out to dry, with many going under due to non payment of their invoices and the liquidation of the organising company.

[Jock Scot]

Can you elaborate for us Jock?

I can't imagine what they would have been thinking, unless maybe they feared clashes between natives and foreigners ?? What was your take on it?

The only information that I had about it was from this American website when it was at the planning stage, had I not been a member here I may have never known about it. In fairness I was out of action for the few months just before the event so I may have missed some of the local publicity, but from what I understand, local advertising was scant and appeared as a rather desperate afterthought. By then, most locals had decided to do something, anything actually, else on principle.

[MacMillans son]

How very unfortunate Jock. It sounds like a huge missed opportunity, and one that would have contributed considerably to the less than perfect financial outcome. Hopefully that kind of feedback will make it to those in charge of the next event!

Thanks for the local perspective.

[Jock Scot]

How very unfortunate Jock. It sounds like a huge missed opportunity, and one that would have contributed considerably to the less than perfect financial outcome. Hopefully that kind of feedback will make it to those in charge of the next event!

Thanks for the local perspective.

Perhaps I will be proved wrong, but the damage has been done as far as the locals are concerned and there seems to be no enthusiasm to repeat the exercise. Perhaps things may change, but if I were to invest in some sort of similar enterprise, then getting the locals involved this time around will be a major task and frankly I am not at all sure success will be achieved. "Once bitten, twice shy" is the thought that springs to mind.

[ThistleDown]

Perhaps I will be proved wrong, but the damage has been done as far as the locals are concerned and there seems to be no enthusiasm to repeat the exercise. Perhaps things may change, but if I were to invest in some sort of similar enterprise, then getting the locals involved this time around will be a major task and frankly I am not at all sure success will be achieved. "Once bitten, twice shy" is the thought that springs to mind.

If you are speaking of The Gathering that would be my take as well, Jock, but there was so much behind-the-scenes manipulating prior to the event that I wonder if the same kind of thing couldn't happen again. All that's necessary is for the leader to have charisma and a convincing tale to tell. I do think that the Standing Council will stand back from anything that smacks of this form of singular personal gain in the future.

If you are referring to Homecoming, however, we disagree entirely. There is just too much of Scotland invested in tourism for the nation to withdraw from mass promotion. When that form of publicity is suggested again the country's large and small tourism enterprises will be on the bandwagon.