England Simon Gidman Head of Business Visits and Events Meet England

England Tourism Strategy Vision: To maximise tourism’s contribution to the economy, employment and quality of life in England Objectives: 1.To increase England’s share of global visitor market’s 2. To offer visitors compelling destinations of distinction 3. To champion a successful thriving tourism industry 4. To facilitate greater engagement between the visitor and the experience

Action Plans To facilitate greater engagement between the visitor and the experience – Modernising visitor information – Accessibility – Welcome – Transport To offer compelling destinations of distinction - Destination Management - Quality To champion a successful, thriving industry - Rural tourism - Research - Seaside resorts - Skills - Wise growth To increase England’s share of global visitor markets - National Marketing Strategy - Business Tourism

Business Tourism Action Plan Objectives: 1. To maximise England’s strong and competitive brand values in marketing it as a business tourism destination 2. To leverage England’s expertise in medicine, science, academia and industry to gain competitive advantage 3. To ensure all England’s facilities, products and services continue to meet market needs to increase England’s competitive success 4. To ensure the importance of business tourism maintains a high profile with public and private sector stakeholders Vision: To increase the volume and value of England’s business tourism market by 5% year on year to 2020

What is business tourism? Association / Charity / Institute / Society events Governmental meetings and conferences Corporate events – dinners, product launches, conferences, awards etc Incentive travel Corporate hospitality Exhibitions and trade shows Independent business travellers

Where are we now? England leads world in specialist areas of innovation – also finance, business services and creative industries Estimated £24.5 billion economic impact from conferences, meetings, exhibitions, incentive travel and corporate hospitality England dropped out of top 10 countries worldwide hosting just 286 international association meetings in 2009 (720 in France). Source: Union of International Associations Volume and value peaked in 2006, since has experienced reduction of more than 25% for inbound overseas business trips (6% drop in domestic)

So why take action on business tourism? Plays vital role in economic, professional and educational development in England – opportunities to communicate, educate, motivate and network Increasing business tourism will improve success of England as place to do business and raise profile of its destinations as ‘knowledge capitals’ Urban renewal and regeneration, in part, generated by conference and meeting activity

Other benefits of business tourism 28% of total overseas visitor spend Supports 22,000 businesses and around 800,000 full time equivalent jobs Average spend per day more than 50% higher than leisure visitors Provides business in off-peak leisure periods Business extenders, friends and family and repeat business as leisure visitors

Objective 1: To maximise England’s strong and competitive brand values in marketing it as a business tourism destination Creation of English Business Tourism Group – English destinations – Impactful and cost effective international sales, marketing and PR programme – Plan and support regular client familiarisation visits – Develop clear and consistent England brand messages – Business extender campaigns – Creation of DMC group to focus on growing the incentives sector – Client perception research – collate existing and plan new

Objective 1: To maximise England’s strong and competitive brand values in marketing it as a business tourism destination Develop and promote quality assurance programmes for business venues (MIA) Promote a joined up approach between destinations, local government, venues and suppliers (MIA) Review pricing charters for large events (MIA) and pricing models for convention centres Understand national research requirements for industry and provide intelligence where necessary

Objective 2: To leverage England’s expertise in medicine, science, academia and industry to gain competitive advantage Creation of England Large Congress Group – VisitEngland, destinations, PCO’s and UKTI (tbc) – Support for local research and ambassador programmes – Investigate requirement for national research programme and national ambassadors – Identify barriers to attracting large congresses to England – Explore opportunities for working with government bodies (eg UKTI) on sector specific sales and marketing activity

Objective 3: To ensure all England’s facilities, products and services continue to meet market needs to increase England’s competitive success Reduce barriers to entry – visas, APD Encourage better transport connections (MIA) Ensure technology and telecomms meet market needs (MIA) Skills and training – Institute of Event Management Ensure quality product (MIA) Promote wise growth and adoption of sustainable standards Promote easy access for all Improve client welcome (MIA)

Objective 4: To ensure the importance of business tourism maintains a high profile with public and private sector stakeholders Continue to support the activity of the Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP) – manifesto, report, Britain for Events etc. Promote the value and importance of business tourism at national and local level through regular updated research and effective channels of communication to national and local government – All-Party Events Group,

Role of VisitEngland Providing cost effective sales and marketing platforms and representation for destinations, venues and other professional suppliers in international markets: – Exhibitions and workshops (EIBTM, IMEX, IMEX America, Trailblazers) – Sales missions and networking dinners – E-newsletters – Advertising and PR

IMEX Frankfurt Trailblazers IMEX America EIBTM Barcelona Meetopolis Successful Meetings University Exhibitions & Workshops

Sales Missions & Network Dinners Association Networking Dinners Switzerland (Geneva) March 2011 France (Paris) December 2011 Belgium (Brussels) March 2012 Sales Missions Germany (Munich & Stuttgart) August 2011 November (Amsterdam) November 2011 Spain (Madrid) November 2011 France (Paris) early 2012 USA (Minneapolis) March 2012 – tbc

Familiarisation Trips USA Manchester & Chester 27–29 May 2010 Manchester & Liverpool (tbc) – Sept 2011 Dutch Newcastle & Leeds 10–12 October 2010 East Yorkshire & Newcastle (tbc) – March 2012 French – Brighton, Sussex & Kent 8–10 May 2011 Spanish – Bath & Bristol 25–28 September 2011 German – Hampshire & Sussex 25–27 September 2011 – Liverpool & Chester 22–24 August 2010

Additional Activities E-newsletters (Dutch, French, German & English) (Dutch, French, German & English)

Additional Activities Editorials & Supplements L’Evenementiel HeadQuarters Magazine AMI Magazine

Role of VisitEngland Leading the England Business Tourism Group Leading the English Large Congress Group Leading the DMC Group Contribution to the BVEP Contribution to the Interboard (national tourist boards)

Key Delivery Partners MIA Destinations Group Business Visits and Events Partnership Industry Associations Government Departments Venues, DMC’s, PCO’s and other professional services Transport operators

How can you contribute to the vision? Work with your DMO and/or VisitEngland to promote destination, create exciting activities/itineraries and share best practice through English Business Tourism Group Work with destination to protect and enhance reputation of destination for hosting large congresses – pricing, service, skills, quality Strive for higher standards of quality – AIM scheme, technology (latest broadband, free wifi), accessibility, sustainability, welcome Champion importance of industry to local population and local government

VisitEngland Simon Gidman Head of Business Visits and Events Meet England Thank you for listening