In the travel industry, many companies host events for travel writers to promote a destination, present a new product or announce an exciting accomplishment.
As a journalist, these events are fun ways to mingle with colleagues, meet with representatives and find interesting new story angles. Sometimes the events are bold and glamorous (if any of you read my blog about the Hilton Spa, Ephorea) and sometimes the events are dull and predictable.
Yet never did I expect a night of comedic entertainment for a group of travel reporters.
Travel Guard and its parent company Chartis are a well-known provider of travel insurance. Based on this fact, they make a living off travelers who want to prepare for the worst. In an ironic display of customer appreciation, Travel Guard began a contest for the World’s Unluckiest Traveler. Apparently, business in protecting unlucky travelers is doing well because over 1,000 globe-trekkers submitted stories of vacation mishaps.
On January 19, the company announced the top winner and recipient of $10,000 for a hopefully less-unlucky and fun vacation. In lieu of the typical cocktail reception with boring speeches, the company gave us a show by an improv comedy troupe.
Let’s just say I’ve never laughed so hard at a professional event.
My favorite skit had to be when the actors asked an audience member to share a day in her life. The woman, a travel writer who works from home, is also a wife and mother of two. Her typical day is much like any other professional mother: gym, get the kids off to school, work, pick the kids up, dinner, bedtime. I’m sure many can relate. Of course, the comedy troupe, playing the parts of the woman, her husband and kids, and the random people we encounter everyday, made light fun of a typical day.
At the end, the winner was announced, and by that time we were all so overjoyed for him. After all, we had spent the last two hours watching funny people on stage while sipping white wine.
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