competition is for losers

…it dilutes what’s actually important and valuable

To illustrate this article, on the reason not to participate in the Battle of the Destinations “competition”, I used the front cover of the children’s book titled “Battle of the Band”, written by Steven Banks and illustrated by Barry Goldberg, a paperback edition of which one can buy for $6.25, through Amazon (? https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Band-Steven-Banks/dp/0689852991? ).

BTW, “battle of the bands” is a music competition where bands compete for the title of "best band".

There are numerous Battle of the Bands events held worldwide, at local clubs, music schools or even national competitions.

Some famous examples include “Live” and “Unsigned” (UK) and “SoundWave” (US).

?

I have let it be known (including in my LinkedIn profile) that I do not enter competitions for “awards” because it dilutes what’s actually important and valuable.

Probably, I was influenced by Peter Thiel's Stanford University talk titled “Competition is for Losers”.

See, if you want, relevant LinkedIn article:? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/competition-game-losers-constantine-constantinides-m-d-ph-d-/ ?.

crowning the Best Destination

…during the awards ceremony

Just as, in the world of “music” (where we have “battle of the bands” competitions), in the world of Health Tourism and Medical Tourism, we have “battle of the destinations” competitions, as part of MICE events – where the competition and awards ceremony act as a “drawing card” for the event.

BTW, a “drawing card” is an event feature that attracts a large audience.

I am certainly not a fan of these “best destination” competitions, because, as I explain, “the system is gamed”.

The phrase and idiom “the system is gamed" means that the corresponding set of rules or process, has been manipulated – enabling “exploitation” aimed at giving someone an unfair advantage.

The reason I claim that the “system is gamed” is because when it comes to destinations, the playing field is not level (i.e., the “game” is rigged).

More specifically, undue influence is exerted by certain governments (using “power” in the form of money and political influence) to get their nation-level destination crowned as the Best Destination.

See:

• the "market-distorting influence" of government "political and economic" intervention - and the reason Health Tourism should no longer be Destination-focused -? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/muscling-using-money-politics-influence-konstantinos-piz6f/ ?
• the politicization of Health Tourism - when political criteria replace merit-based criteria - and the “compromization” of objectivity - ttps://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/when-political-criteria-replace-merit-based-constantine/?

For this reason:

• I claim that Health Tourism should no longer be Destination-focused
• I urge industry players to ignore “desti-national” and think and do “trans-national” (? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/role-overview-effect-konstantinos-konstantinidis-m-d-ph-d--f1nlf/? )
• Contemporary Health Tourism has in place, a set of “safeguards” and principles aimed at encouraging “fair competition” in a “level playing field” (? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/safeguards-konstantinos-konstantinidis-m-d-ph-d--5ncpc/? )