There is general recognition of the importance of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector in generating meetings, conferences, exhibitions, incentives, product launches, and similar business events. But there’s little published information describing the characteristics and trends in the sector. Leading event management agencies and professional conference organisers in the UK specialising in this sector share their insights and experiences.

 Structure of the Sector

 The sector comprises of three main types of meetings:

 a)            Pharmaceutical In-house Meetings – These meetings take the form of sales conferences or in-house strategy meetings. They are used to update, educate and motivate the sales teams or in-house teams. There are no particular restrictions in terms of meeting content and design, and budgets allocated are normally substantial. Meetings may take any format but will probably include a plenary session and then breakout sessions for specific business units and regional sales teams. There can additionally be some form of team building activity. The size of these meetings is usually 500 maximum but can be much smaller dependent on the nature of the meeting. A very high level of accommodation close by is usually a pre-requisite.

 b)            Pharma-sponsored Stand-Alone Meetings – These are conferences sponsored by pharmaceutical companies but the participants are invited doctors. The rationale behind holding these events is that the pharma company is seen to be facilitating discussion around a particular topic of strategic interest. The meeting is not an overt sales pitch but subliminal sales messages and techniques may be used to create brand awareness. The sponsoring company will invite the delegates and cover all the costs of their travel, registration and related expenses. The meeting will be subject to the ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry) guidelines, which restrict the level of entertainment and amount that can be spent on any aspect of the meeting (for a copy of the ABPI Code of Practice, visit: www.pmcpa.org.uk). The format is again usually plenary, but there may also be breakout sessions. If the meeting is organised by a medical equipment company, breakout hands-on workshops are very common. Delegates will be housed in 4-star accommodation. Entertainment will be modest. The sponsoring company may have a small exhibition stand to promote its drug/equipment. The size of these meetings ranges from 100-1500 but, on average, is between 250 -500.

 There are also research and development meetings, either small advisory board meetings, typically between 10 and 20 attendees, or investigator meetings that involve the sharing of clinical data and standardisation training, and these meetings range from 30 to 200 attendees with an average size of approx. 100. Both these meeting types would be in plenary format with no breakouts.

 c)            Association Meetings sponsored by Pharma – These are conferences which are organised by medical associations and societies. They include international, pan-European and national societies and associations. The income sources for these conferences are from registration fees, a concurrent trade exhibition, and sponsorship from pharma. The programme is produced by a scientific committee and pharma has no influence over the programme. Conferences last from 2-5 days and usually have a related trade exhibition running alongside. Facilities required, therefore, include an auditorium (raked seating preferable or essential) for plenary sessions, breakout rooms and space for exhibition, catering and poster displays. Ideally the venue should have a range of hotel accommodation nearby, preferably within walking distance. The size of these meetings ranges from 250 – 3500 and they are usually annual meetings, although most UK medical conferences range from 150-800 delegates and average around 400. There is a trend for national associations to sign long-term deals where they select two or three suitable venues around the country and rotate around these over a longer period.  

 The larger association conferences of 2,000-5,000 delegates normally feature a major exhibition of 2,000 sqm net and a poster area of 500-1,000 sqm net. The exhibition space should not have any pillars and have excellent loading bays/access. Organisers will expect the exhibition, posters and catering to be housed in the same area. The number of breakout rooms does vary but, on average, around 10 will be needed, with capacities ranging from 400 theatre-style down to 200 theatre-style. Organisers also require about 10 smaller rooms for committee meetings (10-40 persons), a speakers’ preview room, an organiser’s office, an association office and a press office. The length of meetings ranges from 3-5 days, not including set-up and breakdown days.

 Additional Venue and Destination Requirements

 Accessibility and good transport connections are a key requirement for all three types of meeting, but most importantly for pan-European and international conferences. For inbound international delegates, this will often mean that transfers from UK airport or port of entry to the conference destination should take no more than one hour.

Location is also key: typically the attendees are world-leading experts in a particular therapeutic area and so the location and timing of the meeting need to be conducive to time-saving efficiencies – airport hotels with good European hub access are very useful.

 Confidentiality and privacy are important features of pharma and medical events. There should be no competitors running events at the venue at the same time. Security is a key concern, due to the sensitive nature of the meetings content. Product and brand names also need to be shielded from the general public – otherwise sponsors will not book. Opaque glass and other forms of screening may, therefore, be a pre-requisite for venues, and can also be sold as a value-added feature.

 Wi-fi needs to be available free of charge to delegates and organisers. Where this is not the case, the lack of such provision is viewed as an irritant at the least, and more seriously as a disincentive to book.

 Events involving the attendance of HCPs (healthcare professionals) are regulated. In the UK this is done by the ABPI but venues should be familiar with various European codes to ensure they are compliant if looking to target pharma business from these countries.

 Current Market State

 Although it has not been immured from the economic crisis, the healthcare and pharma market has been relatively resilient. The number of meetings organised may have been reduced but the requirement still exists for both internal and external corporate meetings. Brand managers are certainly required to justify their spend on stand-alone meetings and show a positive ROI from holding them. The economic situation has, therefore, focussed pharma companies into deciding very carefully which meetings to organise.

 Medical association meetings have been the most resilient to the economic downturn. The associations have continued to run their meetings and national and European meetings have seen a positive spin-off due to participants not travelling as much to long-haul destinations.

 Pharma continues to sponsor medical association meetings as it is often one of the only forums where they get a direct audience with their target market. The forms of such sponsorship have been affected both by the recession and by the strict ABPI guidelines. Michael Foreman, managing director UK of Kenes, says: “There is a shift to sponsorship of educational opportunities. Gone are the days of pharma sponsoring entertainment or social events. Sponsorship of delegate bags, pens and other items may, too, soon be a thing of the past.” 

 John Walker, managing director of Oxford International, assesses the current market as “healthy, but not as vibrant as it was a few years ago”. He comments: “Pharma has also had cutbacks in marketing and commercial spend which have affected the big sales conferences – no more South Africa or USA – and fewer ‘hosted delegates’ to national and international congresses. Reduced event budgets have also affected sponsorship and exhibition expenditure.”

 Indi Patel, account team manager, Banks Sadler, describes the sector as “stable compared to other industry sectors”, but she has detected a “greater use of their own, internal meetings space by pharma companies”. She says that other key trends include:

·         Developing preferred supplier relationships with agencies and venues

·         Discontinued use of 5-star, luxury venues

·         More focus on reducing budgets

·         Consolidating spend into preferred properties

·         Consolidating spend through third party agencies via one appointed agency

·         Greater emphasis on adherence to ABPI guidelines

 Lynn Samson, managing director, MCI Glasgow, notes that the “pharma conference and meetings market is extremely resilient to the economic factors being seen at present. In 2010 all our pharma conferences attracted higher than expected delegate numbers and exhibition and sponsorship was also higher than in previous years.”

 Luke Flett, group sales and marketing manager, WorldEvents™, agrees that the pharma market is reasonably resilient. He believes that “the current economic downturn has not really had an impact on the industry and their requirements to manage events. Having said this, the pharma companies are very dependent on their pipelines (bringing new drugs to the marketplace) and, if they do not have a strong pipeline, the need for events will decrease and this can happen irrespective of the economic climate. This can bring about additional merger and acquisition activity for certain companies in an attempt to boost their pipeline and this, in turn, will necessitate face-to-face meetings to engage employees and manage change.”

 Gerry McCarthy, managing director of Hampton Medical Conferences, notes that, for medical association conferences, “although delegate numbers are holding up well, accompanying exhibitions in some pharma sectors are getting smaller, and exhibitors are signing up later”. She believes that there is a need for PCOs to be more creative in their organisation of such events while, at the same time, expecting “more flexibility from venues over T&Cs and venue contracts”.

 Peter Mainprice, managing director of Index Communications Meeting Services, believes that more ABPI regulation and an avoidance of 5-star accommodation have reduced the potential for the sector to be criticised for staging “lavish events”. He stresses the need for venues and event organisers to create “professional, educational and quality environments” as pharma companies “still need to educate their target clinicians, either during a medical association event or an event wholly hosted by themselves”.

 The healthcare, pharmaceutical and medical sectors look set fair to remain key target markets for venues, destinations, event agencies and suppliers for many years to come, but achieving success will increasingly demand an in-depth knowledge of client requirements coupled with a dynamic approach to developing and fine-tuning products and services.

 The author acknowledges the generous contributions to this article made by Banks Sadler, Hampton Medical Conferences, Index Communications Meeting Services, Kenes, MCI, Oxford International, and WorldEvents™.

INTRODUCTION

The UK’s business events sector is a major component of the national economy, worth in excess of £30 billion per annum and employing some 550,000 people.  It embraces conferences and meetings, exhibitions and trade fairs, incentive travel and performance improvement, corporate hospitality and corporate events, and outdoor events. Like most areas of the national and global economies, it has suffered its share of difficulties over the past year or so. However, this is not simply attributable to world recession. The sector has also been influenced by a range of other factors: from environmental and sustainability pressures to changes in company procurement policies, from the continual developments in communications  technology to the popularity of social media, from security threats to volcanic ash clouds, and many more.

This White Paper is published by Eventia as part of National Meetings and Events Week 2010 and the ‘Britain for Events’ campaign. The Paper reviews the current state of the sector, with a particular focus on conferences and meetings, incentive travel and performance improvement, and corporate hospitality and corporate events. It highlights emerging trends, identifies issues and opportunities, and underscores the importance and potential of the live events industry. 

RECOGNISING THE IMPORTANCE OF FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATIONS

The media are often keen to portray live conferences and event attendance as a ‘jolly’. However, the value of face-to-face communications and live events is continually confirmed by research and by the evaluations provided by return on investment (ROI) methodologies.

The ‘British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2010’ (published in September 2010 by Conference And Travel Publications), for example, illustrates that the factors crucial to a successful and worthwhile event include:

·         Content relevant to delegates’ work and daily life

·         Inspiring and original sessions/presentations

·         Networking with peers/colleagues

With specific regard to meetings, in a global survey of 2,300 Harvard Business Review subscribers conducted by Harvard Business Review Analysis Services in 2009, virtually all survey participants (95%) said that face-to-face meetings are a key factor in successfully building and maintaining long-term business relationships. This reflects what many executives call the “high impact” of in-person communications.

A new study by Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, entitled ‘The Future of Meetings: The Case for Face-to-Face’, examines the complex issues surrounding the format of group meetings and events against a backcloth of an explosion in virtual meeting technology. The study notes that meetings can be completely virtual, completely face-to-face, or a hybrid of the two, with leading companies using all three formats. The challenge for meeting planners is to decide which format is most effective for important business outcomes. Rather than rely on personal preferences or currently popular approaches, the study recommends that the decision in respect of meeting type is a strategic one that should rest on specific, scientific criteria. These science-based criteria help executives determine when face-to-face is the most effective approach to large group meetings and events. This decision is important because face-to-face meetings require the greatest investment of all meeting types, and thus carry the greatest expectations for a strong return on investment. The study concludes that face-to-face is most likely to be the best format in the following three business situations:

1.       To capture attention, particularly when you want to initiate something new or different

2.       To inspire a positive emotional climate, as a way to catalyse collaboration, innovation, and performance; and

3.       To build human networks and relationships, realising that information can increasingly be shared virtually whereas the greater value is in people networks and relationships.

Commenting on the virtual v. face-to-face debate, Eventia says (in The Summer Eventia 2010 conference programme):

“Our industry is at a tipping point in the understanding and adoption of technology. Embracing the digital media age and appreciating its role within the fast-evolving media mix and then being able to harness that to engage audiences is more crucial now than ever before. The much-discussed hypothesis of whether ‘virtual’ will ever replace ‘live’ events is irrelevant. There is a place for both in a healthy, symbiotic business relationship.

Then, of course, there is the key component of delivering a return on investment and here, too, change is apparent and exciting. The revolution in integrated event technology that provides valuable intelligence and measurable results from event programmes will continue to evolve. The business card has come a long way. Our task is to demonstrate the absolute value of the meetings and live events industry as a quantifiable investment, not a frivolous cost.”

EVENT SOCIAL IMPACTS

The benefits of meetings and live events are not just economic. Meetings and events have other positive impacts on society, contributing to health and wellbeing, education, social diversity, community spirit and cohesion, and civic pride. Events help to foster diversity in our local culture and heritage, providing opportunities for further destination expansion and growth. A new web site provides further information on the broader impacts and benefits of events. Visit: www.eventimpacts.com

VALUE AND VOLUME OF THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETINGS MARKET

There are several annual studies providing volume and value, trends and projections data on the domestic conference market.

This includes the ‘UK Events Market Trends Survey’ (UKEMTS), published by  Eventia. It offers a vital insight into the current state of the industry from a supply-side or venue perspective. The 2010 Survey, published in July 2010, is based on data supplied by 413 reporting venues from across the UK, 12% of the venue universe.

The UKEMTS 2010 reveals that there were an estimated 1.32 million business events in the UK in 2009, slightly down on the figure of 1.37 million recorded for 2008. Hotels and dedicated conference/training centres typically hosted more events than other venues (hotels an average of 443 events, and conference/training centres an average of 497 events) against an overall average for all venue types of 379 events. UKEMTS estimates the total value of the UK conference and meetings  sector at £18.8 billion once the wider economic impact of events is taken into account (i.e. expenditure by delegates on transport, entertainment, eating out, shopping, etc.). Table 1 provides an analysis of the economic impacts, from which it can be seen that residential events (as opposed to day meetings) are crucial for generating benefits to local economies, accounting for 71% of all spend.

Some of the other key findings identified by the UKEMTS research include:

·         Shorter lead times

·         Tighter budgets and greater demand to achieve value for money

·         Less catering spend by organisers (e.g. booking room only, avoiding meal times)

·         Increased flexibility requested around venue contracts (partly allied to later booking), with minimal contracts and no cancellation fees demanded

Table 1

Volume and Value of the Business Events Market in the UK
	Non-staying	Staying - Destination	Staying – Residential at Venue	Total
Delegates (m)	59.8	10.2	24.4	94.4
Delegate days (m)	86.2	14.8	49.2	150.2
Spend (£bn)	5.6	3.3	9.9	18.8
Share (% of market)
Delegates (%)	63	11	26	100
Delegate days (%)	57	10	33	100
Spend (%)	30	18	53	100

Source: ‘UK Events Market Trends Survey 2010’

 

Looking to the future, 65% of venues were planning product investments in 2010, with 9% budgeting an expenditure of over £1 million.

Complementary to the UKEMTS is demand-side research undertaken amongst conference and event organisers (the ‘buyers’). This includes the previously mentioned ‘British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2010’, based on interviews with over 600 organisers (318 representing corporations, 314 from associations, not-for-profit organisations and the public sector). It traces their event activity between the twelve-month period July 2009 – June 2010.

To view this article in full, please visit the Eventia web site (www.eventia.org.uk) and click on 'Eventia White Paper' on the home page. 

 

To many people the world over, Liverpool is synonymous with top quality football teams, legendary 1960s pop music bands, ferries and the River Mersey, the Liver building and, to those steeped in English history, a maritime heritage with strong links to the New World. But Liverpool, a UNESCO World Heritage City, is also now a city that epitomises the best in urban renewal and regeneration. Building further on its highly successful year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool, together with its sister resort of Southport, is now positioned as one of the top destinations in the country for staging conferences, exhibitions and other business events – and a significant player in the international events market too.

  

Liverpool has also retained its position as one of the top ten most popular UK city destinations for overseas visitors according to the latest International Passenger Survey research data. Approximately 453,000 overseas visitors were attracted to the bright lights and enticing ambience of the city in 2009, making Liverpool sixth most popular. Of course, social time after conferences plays a large role in attracting delegates to a city, and Liverpool’s credentials are second to none. Not only does the city boast the biggest number of museums and galleries outside London, but it also features a host of interesting attractions and shopping locations, including the brand new Liverpool One shopping centre.

Clearly, therefore, it’s an exciting time to be holding events in Liverpool, Southport and Merseyside. Many investments have taken place to enhance the facilities and infrastructure necessary for success in this highly competitive, global market sector, and more are planned. This article traces some of the key developments and success stories across the Liverpool ‘City Region’.

 

Lime Street Station, regarded as a major gateway into the city centre, is being transformed by a £35 million project to create a visually stunning entrance into the city and the important welcoming factor for delegates. The project is due for completion in Spring 2011 with the station remaining operational throughout the refurbishment programme.

Adding to Liverpool’s already rich provision of museums, the striking new Museum of Liverpool on the waterfront, which is currently under construction and is set to open in 2011, will also double as a unique conference and events venue.

 

Plans for the creation of two new hotels in the city have been approved, including a 140-bedroom three star hotel and a 130-bedroom budget brand – the latter will take its design influence from New York’s contemporary Flatiron building. Designed by Liverpool-based architects Falconer Chester Hall, the new hotel will be built by Northern Ireland-based developer Tara House and the first phase is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2011, with the rest of the development planned to finish in 2012.

 

The ACC Liverpool has announced that it is progressing plans to invest a further £45 million in expansion of the venue, to include the development of three 2,700sqm exhibition halls. In the year ended March 2010, the venue hosted around 200 conference centre event days, with more than 71,500 delegates in attendance.

 

Following on from restaurants like Chaophraya and Lunya, which have established themselves as culinary ‘must eats’ in Liverpool, comes news that two TV chefs are to make their mark on the foodie trail. Jamie Oliver has just opened his first North West eatery in the form of Jamie’s Italian, situated in Liverpool One. Marco Pierre White will be creating his third North West venue as part of the £15 million Hotel Indigo, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open in Spring 2011.

 

Confirmation that Liverpool has ‘arrived’ as a major player on the international conference scene can be seen in examples of just a few of the events being staged in 2010:

·         World Harm Reduction Association Conference 2010 – ACC Liverpool, 1200 delegates, March

·         Annual conference of the Association Internationale des Palais de Congrès (AIPC – International Association of Conference Centres) – held at ACC Liverpool, July

·         The Liberal Democrat Conference, 18-22 September at ACC Liverpool, c. 4,000 delegates

·         The 3rd International Pedagogical Research in Higher Education Conference, organised by Liverpool Hope University, 25-26 October at the University of Liverpool’s Foresight Centre.

 

Liverpool’s ‘Forum Legati’, administered by Liverpool Convention Bureau, is recognised nationally as an excellent example of how an ambassador scheme can work for a city region and its venues. Ambassadors are identified from local universities as influential decision makers with appropriate contacts to national and international events. Ambassadors quite literally work in an ambassadorial role to link their event with the city and bring high value and prestigious conferences to the Liverpool city region. ‘Forum Legati’ now has a network of almost 200 ambassadors, made up of academics, medics and researchers. These experts regularly convene to network and actively work towards bringing more events into the city.

 

Whilst ACC Liverpool benefits greatly from this, the Convention Centre sales team also identified another opportunity. Ambassadors bring association business, but how about corporate events? The venue team has now built up a network of supporters enjoying excellent corporate business links with companies that would look to bring meetings to the city region. These friends or ‘affiliates’ of the Convention Centre are identified not just for their passion, support and confidence in the venue’s offer, but also the level of influence they have in attracting corporate events. Originally the plan was to achieve thirty affiliate places. However, the success of the affiliate scheme and the desire to partner with ACC Liverpool has actually resulted in a much higher number joining. Affiliates, in return, enjoy a variety of incentives and perks, but most importantly being part of the success that is the BT Convention Centre.

 

Ten miles up the coast, Southport has successfully rebranded itself as England’s Classic Resort, combining boutique hotels, high quality restaurants and world class golf facilities with the traditional aspects of a coastal town that both business and leisure guests still expect to see.

 

As part of this regeneration, the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre (STCC) underwent a £40 million transformation, completed in 2008, creating new meetings suites and events space as well as a direct link to the town’s newest hotel, the 133-bedroom Ramada Plaza Hotel. In addition, a £15 million redevelopment of the town’s Grade II-listed arts centre, library and art gallery was announced recently, creating a brand new arts complex and events space. Expected to be completed in three years, the ‘Southport Cultural Centre’, situated in the town’s fashionable Lord Street, will encompass a major contemporary art space, a 430-seat theatre and a studio space, capable of hosting meetings and events for up to 600.

 

All of the development and investment in Southport has resulted in a surge of new business wins and new conference interest in the area. Since the beginning of 2010, Southport Conferences (the marketing agency for the resort) has announced an impressive number of wins worth tens of millions, with many events confirmed to return annually up until 2017. As a popular destination for government and political conferences, Southport will also host the Labour Party North West Regional Conference at STCC in November 2010, with around 400 delegates expected to attend.

 

In June 2010 Southport Conferences underlined its commitment to environmentally friendly policies by launching a unique delegate bike loan scheme. The scheme is largely supported by Southport’s Cycling Town status, awarded in 2008, which provides the area with many routes and facilities for cyclists, including dedicated bike parks at local hotels.

 

Free, impartial advice and practical support for those looking to organise conferences, meetings and other events in Liverpool and Southport are available from:

 

·         Liverpool Convention Bureau – tel: 0151 237 3925; web: www.liverpool.com/conferences

• Southport Conferences – tel:  0151 934 2436; web: www.southportconferences.com

The latest Meetings Industry Association (MIA) ‘Pathfinder’ research has confirmed the continuing importance to meeting planners and to meeting and event suppliers of achieving corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives, with 40 per cent of survey respondents expecting to increase their focus on CSR. The challenge, of course, can be how best to do this, not only in the planning and marketing of events but also in their production and on-site management. How do you ensure that events deliver a worthwhile social legacy and a tangible benefit to the city or community in which they are held?

One innovative and pioneering solution (or in fact a twin solution!) to this dilemma is offered by the city of Leeds. ‘Sharing the Success’, the Leeds brand for the Government’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) Programme (www.sharingthesuccess.co.uk), in partnership with Camberwell Project Ltd and Tiger11, has invested in the re-development and refurbishment of two former Victorian school buildings in inner city Leeds. The result: venues that embody the essence of corporate responsibility, community involvement and support for local entrepreneurs, all bundled into first class conference and meetings space.

 Multi-million pound investments have been made to transform Shine, located in the Harehills district of Leeds, and Hillside, situated in Beeston, into quality meeting venues with a strong social and community ethos.

Shine is an award-winning re-development which opened in September 2008 (www.shinebusinesscentre.co.uk). The building is owned and run by Harehills Community Interest Company, with at least 91% of profits being used to support entrepreneurs in the most deprived neighbourhoods of Leeds. Camberwell Project Ltd has overseen the transformation of the building, as part of its vision to implement lasting change for social benefit through undertaking property development, high growth business consultancy and enterprise programmes in disadvantaged areas. Shine offers conference, meeting, training and corporate entertaining facilities in 18 separate rooms (maximum capacity 130) and other attractive spaces on two floors. There is also serviced office space for rent, a gallery area to display works of art, a gym and leisure club,  drop-in space for free one-to-one meetings, a quiet room, showers, and substantial free car parking.  Located less than 2 miles from Leeds city centre, Shine also hosts a Catalyst Centre, providing hot-desking, IT resources, networking events, information and advisory services for locally-based entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Hillside is a smaller building but with many attractive architectural features (www.hillside-leeds.co.uk). It is just one mile from Leeds city centre and a similar distance from M621 junction 3. It has been developed by Tiger11, a community development trust working to stimulate and support social enterprise and to improve the neighbourhoods of Beeston and Holbeck in Leeds 11. Tiger11 is community-owned and led and reinvests its profits in the community. Hillside opened in October 2008. As well as conference and meeting facilities for up to 130, Hillside has a number of office units available for rent, plus a café/restaurant and a lounge. There is also a children’s play area at the rear of the building. In June Tiger11 was awarded the prestigious Social Enterprise Mark, which identifies businesses meeting defined criteria for social enterprise and confirms that such businesses are trading to benefit people and planet. It joins other ethical businesses, such as the Eden Project, which have also been awarded the Mark.

Shine and Hillside are developing packages which will combine half-day meetings with half a day’s involvement and interaction with the local communities in a range of projects and activities. Such activities are expected to include environmental improvement schemes, contributions to community radio programmes, support for charitable and community organisations in inner city Leeds.

“We have used Shine recently for our Professional Learning Programme events and were delighted by the venue,” commented client Madeleine Irwin of Creative Partnerships and CapeUK, a leading independent research and development agency in the field of creativity, learning and development. “It’s great that profits from Shine go back to the local community, and our delegates gave us some fantastic feedback on the venue’s inspiring atmosphere, design and catering.”

Dawn O’Keefe, CEO of Shine, says: “By using venues such as Shine and Hillside, organisations with a genuine desire to make a difference are able to achieve their CSR objectives while carrying on their normal day-to-day business. Trading with Social Enterprises is a clear message that your CSR policy is embedded in everything you do. Many companies are looking for a unique venue, somewhere that provides a creative environment, somewhere that stimulates staff to think outside the box. Shine and Hillside provide unique environments – clearly demonstrating your commitment to making a difference to your staff, clients, partners and suppliers.”

As Rob Davidson, Senior Lecturer in Business Travel and Tourism at the University of Westminster, writes:  “Including social legacy activities in meetings can considerably enhance the image of individual companies and the business tourism industry as a whole, by demonstrating their social awareness and desire to make a difference. This is particularly important at a time like the present, when the economic climate means that media and company shareholders are alert to corporate events that appear too lavishly funded.”

Simon Brereton, Manager of ‘Sharing the Success’ , comments: “We see investments in venues such as Shine and Hillside as a means of taking enterprise into the heart of our communities, creating opportunities for people to change their lives and exploit their latent entrepreneurial ambitions. By regenerating these disadvantaged communities we can also preserve key features of our architectural heritage. We believe that we are offering something unique in Leeds which may serve as a model of best practice in the transformation of industrial cities around Britain.”

E N D S

Further information:

1.       ‘Sharing the Success’( Leeds Local Enterprise Growth Initiative): Simon Brereton – tel: 0113 220 6350 or email: simon.brereton@enterpriseleeds.co.uk

2.       Shine:  Dawn O’Keefe, Chief Executive  – tel: 0113 388 0000 or email: Dawn.OKeefe@shinebusinesscentre.co.uk

3.       Hillside: Jeremy Morton, Chief Executive – tel: 0113 387 6300 or email: Jeremy.morton@tiger11.org.uk

 

‘Sharing the Success’

 

Leeds was awarded £15.6 million over three years in Round 2 of the Government-funded Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) in 2006. This was extended by £5 million in December 2007. ‘Sharing the Success’ is based on three themes: engaging people, business and investors. It focuses on opening up opportunities for employment, self-employment and investment in the city’s most deprived areas, allowing everyone to share in the economic success of Leeds and play an active part in its growth. Some 20 cities around Britain now run LEGI programmes.

  

Many areas of the country stress their central location and ease of access for the staging of conferences, meetings and other business events. But Coventry and Warwickshire can genuinely claim to be at the heart of England, enjoying superb transport links through the national motorway network, excellent rail services to London and other parts of the country, and its own international gateway through Birmingham International Airport, primed for further development over the next decade.

 Coventry itself is now well established as a major conference and business events destination, with the latest industry research (‘British Meetings & Events Industry Survey 2009’) ranking it as the 10^th most popular British destination among event organisers. Birmingham, its near neighbour, enjoys second position, after London, in the same research.

Clearly, therefore, it’s an exciting time to be holding events in Coventry and Warwickshire. Many investments have taken place to enhance the facilities and infrastructure necessary for success in this highly competitive, global market sector, and more are planned. This article traces some of the key developments across the region, including news of what’s happening in Birmingham.

 Coventry is building a “city for tomorrow” with £9.4 billion of development work underway. Projects include the £130 million Belgrade Plaza, adjacent to the Belgrade Theatre, a mixed-use development incorporating restaurants, bars, apartments and a hotel. At the same time, the FarGo Project will see a programme of major investment to create a new cultural quarter next to Coventry University’s campus in one of the city’s prized heritage areas.  And the City Council has a 20-year vision, along with partners Modus, Aviva and The Jerde Partnership, to re-develop Coventry’s retail core creating 200,000 square metres of new retail space including a major anchor store and niche and convenience shops. Outline planning approval has been granted for the Friargate development, a 15-hectare site next to Coventry’s main railway station, providing new hotels, offices and retail outlets.

 Specific investments in events facilities include the completion of Ibex Hall 3 at the £113 million Ricoh Arena, the home of Coventry City Football Club and a venue offering 6,000 square metres of exhibition space and high quality conference rooms for up to 2,500 delegates. The stunning E.ON lounge offers spectacular views over the football stadium from a beautifully appointed room seating up to 1,000 delegates. A second new auditorium with retractable seating for 650 people is also being developed. The Ricoh Arena already has hotel accommodation within the complex and plans are well advanced to add a second 150-bedroom hotel in 2011.

 Warwick Conferences (at the University of Warwick) is also investing heavily. The recently-launched Big Space venue can accommodate up to 1,250 theatre-style, while a £6.9 million refurbishment of the Butterworth Hall Arts Centre was completed in 2009. Warwick Conferences is offering free meetings for up to 10 people as part of a new incentive and branding campaign called ‘Conference with Confidence’.

 One of the landmark developments in another part of the region will see the re-opening in late 2010 of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon after an extensive £113 million transformation of this globally-renowned visitor attraction. In anticipation of the re-opening, the Royal Shakespeare Company has launched a joint venture with the Eden Hotel Collection to modernise and refurbish the Arden Hotel, located opposite the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres. The multi-million pound project will create a 45-bedroom boutique-style property, and will include a meeting room for business meetings and client entertainment.

 In February 2010 the Kings Court Hotel in Kings Coughton (near Alcester) opened its new extension, housing a state-of-the-art conference suite for up to 50 delegates. The hotel will also shortly be adding a new mini-gym.

 Chesford Grange, a property in the QHotels’ portfolio situated close to the M40 and M69 motorways between Warwick and Kenilworth, has 13 conference and meeting rooms, the largest seating 710 people. The facilities have recently been expanded through the transformation of the Stratford Suite to create a capacity of 180 theatre-style.

 From 24-26 September 2010 the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon will host Rotary International District’s annual convention, a 3-day event expected to attract some 600 delegates.

 Warwickshire has unique product strengths in terms of purpose-designed, residential conference and training centres: Woodside Conference Centre (Kenilworth), Ashorne Hill (Leamington Spa) and Woodland Grange (also Leamington Spa) offer facilities and service of the highest standards for smaller conferences, meetings and training events.

 Birmingham’s reputation is firmly established as a city which hosts world-class events, be they regional, national or international events. Some 42 per cent of the West Midlands region’s conferences and exhibitions are staged in Birmingham. In June 2009 the city hosted the 100^th Rotary International Convention, an event which brought around 20,000 people from 156 nations to the city and generated an economic impact of some £25 million.

 The city is focused on the future with £11 billion regeneration plans, expected to lead to further growth in conference and events business. Such plans include the £620 million redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station, and the construction of a £193 million Library of Birmingham.

 Birmingham is home to a vast array of conference and meeting venues ranging from the iconic National Exhibition Centre (NEC), The National Indoor Arena (NIA), LG Arena and The International Convention Centre (ICC) to academic venues, hotels, and smaller unique venues. Birmingham and its conurbation boast more than 28,600 hotel beds, from top-class luxury to budget accommodation.

 The NEC Group’s venues attract major national and international exhibitions and conferences across both consumer and trade sectors. The NEC itself regularly hosts major exhibitions including Europe’s biggest trade event, ‘Spring Fair International’, as well as ‘Clothes Show Live’, and ‘Crufts’, the world’s largest dog show. ‘IPEX’, the global print, publishing and media technology trade event held in May 2010, attracted visitors from almost 160 countries.

 Alongside the exhibition element, the Group also stages world-class conferences and meetings at The ICC – the only UK venue to have hosted major events by all three key political parties in the last two years – the country’s leading purpose-built convention centre. The Conservative Party has confirmed that it will return to The ICC for its 2010 and 2012 autumn conferences, in large measure due to positive feedback from delegates who attended the 2008 conference held there. The venue will also be hosting a return conference by the Liberal Democrats in 2011 after a hugely successful event earlier this year.

 Other high-profile events staged at The NEC Group’s venues include ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2010’, which will be returning to the LG Arena in December after a two-year absence.

 Ian Taylor, commercial director at Marketing Birmingham, the city’s destination marketing agency, commented:

 “We definitely want to continue with the success we’ve had with national political sector conferences, but we’re also looking at international business, particularly in the association sector and in areas which are specialisms in the city like medical technologies, science, environmental technologies, digital media and creative industries.”

 Free, impartial advice and practical support for those looking to organise conferences, meetings and other events in Coventry, Warwickshire and Birmingham are available from:

·         Coventry & Warwickshire Convention Bureau – tel: 0844 873 6397/8; email: conferences@cw-cb.co.uk; web: www.cw-conventionbureau.co.uk; www.visitcoventryandwarwickshire.co.uk

·         Birmingham Convention Bureau – tel:  0121 202 5151; email: bcb.conferencesales@marketingbirmingham.com; www.meetbirmingham.com and www.birminghamconventionbureau.com

 Eventia is the trade body representing organisations that provide business solutions through the use of events. Such organisations include the UK’s conference and meeting destinations and, working with them, Eventia offers a free, nationwide venue finding service (www.eventia.org.uk).

 E N D S

 

 

One of the more unusual humorous incidents in my 20 years’ experience of the meetings industry occurred in Ayrshire, Scotland in 2002. The occasion was the annual conference of ABPCO, the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers, for which I acted as Executive Director. The conference was held at Turnberry and, on the first evening, we were treated to a wonderful Burns Supper with all the trimmings, including the address to the haggis, as might be expected in Robbie Burns’ backyard.

 

On the second evening, however, we were hosted by VisitScotland to a banquet at a Scottish castle some distance from Turnberry. Blairquhan Castle (pronounced ‘Blairwhan’) is located near Maybole and is a very intimate, homely venue where the Laird himself (who is now sadly deceased) joined us for dinner and conducted an informal showround before the meal.

 

At the conclusion of the banquet, the Laird announced that it was the Blairquhan tradition for the ladies to retire to the lounge while the men were led onto the lawn at the front of the castle in order to relieve themselves (irrigating the lawn!) before re-joining the ladies for drinks and entertainment. This tradition, unique in my experience of our great industry, gives a whole new meaning to ‘social legacy’, but perhaps not of a kind to be emulated too widely!

 Tony Rogers - 15^th March 2010   

For more information on Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services, click here: www.tony-rogers.com

 For more information on Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services, click here: www.tony-rogers.com

My first memory of Confex (no ‘International’ in its name in the early days) was as an exhibitor in what was euphemistically called the ‘Association Lounge’ at Olympia in 1990. In reality, we (the British Association of Conference Towns or BACT) had a tabletop presence hidden away in a rather Spartan room on the upper floor of Olympia, and over the course of three days we saw about 30 people. The following year the show was foreshortened because of heavy snow, and my colleague Tracy Johnson (now Marketing Services Director for trade body Eventia) and I abandoned Confex on the third day and found ourselves renting a hire car at Euston Station with a couple of strangers in order to get back to Birmingham, as all trains were cancelled.

  

In the early 1990s Confex moved to a new home at Earls Court 2 (it was another few years before it expanded sufficiently to occupy Earls Court 1). At around the same time, the then Exhibition Director, Anita Howard, established an Industry Advisory Committee to develop Confex and maximise its potential. I represented BACT (BACD) on this Committee from its inception, joining such industry luminaries as Paul Kennedy (at the time Manager of the Commonwealth Centre), Jonathan Cohen (Visit Denmark) and Harry Fine (Harry Fine Associates).

  

As Confex evolved, Exhibition Directors came and went in fairly rapid succession, although some have stayed in the events industry and moved on to exalted positions: Paul Thandi, for example, is now Group Chief Executive with the NEC Group, while Paula Lorimer (who persuaded the Duke of York to open Confex in 2004 has become Sales Director at Manchester Central.

 

At some point, I can’t recall exactly when, Confex added ‘International’ to its name and there was a genuine international dimension to its exhibitor base, leading to the creation of a dedicated area for overseas exhibitors.

 

Duncan Reid was appointed Exhibition Director in 2005. Duncan has been very successful in turning round the steady decline in visitor numbers, developing an excellent seminar programme, acquiring the ‘National Venue Show’ (re-branded as ‘Event UK’) to strengthen the Confex Group portfolio, and positioning ‘International Confex’ as a must-attend event in the UK events industry calendar, attracting 10,857 visitors in 2009 out of a total attendance in excess of 14,000 – an impressive achievement!

 

Tony Rogers is a consultant specialising in conferences, business visits and events, and venue/destination marketing and management. For more details visit www.tony-rogers.com or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

 

MADRID: INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND PLACES

  

When I was a student of Spanish in the 1960s, living and studying in Spain, the three most advertised visitor attractions in the Madrid region were Toledo, the royal palace of El Escorial, and El Valle de los Caídos (The Valley of the Fallen Spanish Civil War memorial), much higher profile than anything in Madrid itself.

  

How things have changed in the years since. Madrid is a city that’s undergone a massive programme of regeneration and investment. It’s a city waiting to be discovered by the British, undeservedly in the shadow of Barcelona and the ‘costas’, but a beautiful city of wide, tree-lined boulevards, elegant palaces, attractive squares, spacious parks and gardens, and panoramic vistas to the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains.

 

I was visiting the city primarily to speak to a group of students who are following a one-year Masters degree programme in ‘Management of Congress and Convention Tourism and PCO Operations’ at the European University of Madrid, one of 16 universities in the city. The 22 students proved to be a delightful group, mostly from Spain but including some from as far afield as the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela and Sweden. All could speak English, although with varying degrees of fluency. They were engaged, enthusiastic, personable and knowledgeable. I know that one or two of the students hope to find work in the UK conference and meetings sector, and I’m sure they will prove a real asset.

 

This investment in its people is mirrored by huge investments in Madrid’s conference and incentive infrastructure. A new airport terminal, new hotels, a modern underground system (which charges just one euro for any journey - eat your heart out London Underground!), renovated visitor attractions, an unparalleled reputation for cuisine (no fewer than seven Michelin-starred restaurants), six UNESCO World Heritage sites within a 1-hour drive, three convention centres and a fourth under construction (due to open in 2012), all combine to position Madrid as a major player in the global events industry, and a serious contender for a top ten place.

  

The base for my stay was the well-located 5-star Hotel Meliá Castilla, which has the most extensive range of conference facilities of any Madrid hotel: 25 meeting rooms in total, from the Auditorium (a 580-seat purpose-designed presentation theatre with in-built translation, voting and  projection facilities) to five other rooms seating over 350 theatre-style, plus a series of seminar and boardrooms. A truly impressive venue.

 

Through the friendly and professional help of the Madrid Convention Bureau and the London office of Turespaña (Spanish Tourist Office), I made arrangements to visit four of the more unusual city-centre venues. The Teatro Real is a stunning venue, primarily for opera and ballet, built in 1850 and refurbished in the 1990s, with wonderful views across the Plaza de Oriente to the Royal Palace. It can seat 1748 in the main auditorium, but also has a 250-seat theatre with translation booths, a smaller meeting room for 70 and a spectacular restaurant. The venue was chosen to host the inauguration ceremony for the Spanish presidency of the European Union in January.

 

The Casa de América, dating back to 1872, is another beautiful venue, originally the home of the Marquis of Linares who commissioned the most important painters of the time to create a truly exceptional palace. The rooms themselves are exquisite and very ornate, but they are not huge – ideal for groups of around 60-70.

 

The Casino de Madrid, just a two-minute walk from the Puerta del Sol, is now part private members’ club and part event venue managed by NH Hotels. It has great facilities for cocktails, dinner or meetings for up to 150. A Michelin-star restaurant sits atop the building alongside a beautiful terrace with wonderful views over the city.

 

The Círculo de Bellas Artes is the cultural centre of one of Europe’s foremost arts organisations. Founded in 1888, Picasso once attended painting classes here and many other famous names have graced this elegant, neo-classical building. With large meeting space, it can host cocktails for 1,000, dinner for 500 and has several smaller meeting rooms. It also boasts a glorious roof terrace for large receptions.

 

I can’t wait to return to Madrid. It’s a city that deserves to be discovered as it offers so much for business and leisure visitors alike.

 

More information:

Madrid Convention Bureau, Plaza Mayor 27, Planta Cuarta, 28012 Madrid; tel: +34 91 758 55 28;  www.esmadrid.com/mcb

Spanish Tourist Office, PO Box 4009, London W1A 6NB; tel: 020 7486 8077; www.spain.info/uk

 

For more information on Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services, click here: www.tony-rogers.com