2015 MANILA GA HITS THE MARK!

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - WTCA Members attending the 2015 GA in Manila were happy to share their enthusiasm for the event! 91% of those responding to our survey expressed that they were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the GA.

WTC Metro Manila rolled out a warm welcome for the delegates from the very start with a poolside, patio party at the beautiful Sofitel Philippine Plaza Resort. White-themed attire kept things cool, relaxed and comfortable, while creating a spirit of unity. 93% of surveyed respondents rated the Welcome Reception venue, as well as its networking opportunities, as “good to very good”.

New this year was “Speed Networking”, which provided an icebreaker on Day 1 and a laser-focused way to meet more than a dozen new WTC colleagues in the course of an hour. Members raved about this innovative idea and rated it highly on the satisfaction scale. You can count on more Speed Networking at future WTCA events, along with further enhancements based on your survey suggestions.

This year’s GA rang in a very successful Board election with over 70% member participation in the process. During the Tuesday “Meet Your Board Members” session, Members interacted directly with their new leaders by region, asking questions and sharing insight. The structure of this session will be reviewed for future GA’s where Board Elections will be held.

Members also contributed ideas for making the 2016 GA in Algiers a success. Top suggestions included providing more time for Speed Networking sessions, offering structured networking opportunities with local companies and WTCs, and reserving more time for the Plenary session and Q&A. Respondents also suggested providing in advance information on: safety; the benefits of the trade with the region and Africa; and tourism opportunities.

Members praised WTC Metro Manila on their excellent organization of the event and their wonderful, warm hospitality. Here’s what a few members had to say about their 2015 GA experience:

“GA Manila was yet another outstanding Networking opportunity. The events were not unduly packed. They were well paced with options available, giving enough time to meet up with old contacts and making new friends within the WTC family. While serious business got done efficiently, the atmosphere was reflective of the easygoing happy people of the Philippines. Great job, thank you and congrats to Team WTC Manila and Team WTCA HQ!!!”

Balaram Menon, WTC Bangalore

“This GA was a wealth of opportunity to capacity build with partner WTCs and establishing new relationships while fostering old ones. The networking and strategic planning we were able to accomplish was amazing. It is always a joy to meet and have productive conversations with partner WTCs. Overall this was an awesome experience and a door to new beginnings and more global business exchange.”

Denise Thomas, WTC Arkansas

“This is one of the 2 annual occasions where members meet, network, communicate, listen, learn and understand what others do.”

Mehran Eftekar, WTC Cyprus

“The only way to maximize the value of your WTCA license is to attend the GA every year. It is absolutely crucial for the health and success of your World Trade Center.”

Scott Center, WTC Savannah

We thank those who participated in the 2015 GA survey. As promised, we had a drawing for a one-night stay at the New York Marriott Downtown for the WTCA Member Seminar, valued at over $300. Congratulations Shahed Dashti of WTC Damascus for winning the prize! We look forward to seeing Shahed and all of you at the Member Seminar soon!

An Executive Summary and full report of the survey, including an account of all comments, suggestions and statistics are available in the Resource Center of the website.