Month: February 2023

This Monday’s Insights (27 February 2023) feature brings you the latest news including VisitBritain seeing things differently, IMEX Group sustainability report, mia research, and more.

Headlines

VisitBritain has launched a multi-million pound campaign inspiring visitors to ‘See Things Differently,’ driving bookings to Britain. 

National tourism agency VisitBritain has started rolling out its new multi-million pound international campaign for 2023 to drive tourism to Britain.

The international GREAT Britain marketing campaign invites visitors to ‘See Things Differently’, showcasing Britain as a dynamic, diverse and exciting destination, packed full of activities to come and enjoy now, with a warm British welcome at its heart.

The first phase of the 2023 campaign, with a budget of £9.8 million, gets underway this week and runs until early spring focused on markets where VisitBritain is seeing strong recovery including the USA, its largest and most valuable market, Canada, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and European markets including France, Germany and Spain.

In Europe and the GCC, the ‘See Things Differently’ advertising campaign – ‘Spilling the Tea on Great Britain’ – uses a play on Britain’s love of tea, through destination images and short films (see launch film here) to tell a fresh and exciting story about the experiences on offer, showing visitors that ‘whatever your cup of tea, we’ve got it.’

From a ‘Festival’ tea theme that gives a taste of Britain’s live music scene to a ‘Graffi-tea’ that celebrates its vibrant cities and cultural attractions. A ‘Surf’ theme shows the adventurous side of Britain and ‘#nofilter’ its natural beauty. A ‘Monster Hunting’ tea draws inspiration from myths and legends including world-famous Nessie the Loch Ness Monster. A limited release of the themed teas, blended by British tea company Tregothnan, will also be available for tastings at VisitBritain promotional and trade events.

In Canada and the USA the campaign, called ‘Fake (Br)it Till You Make It’ highlights the richness of Britain’s regional diversity. The phased advertising campaign gets underway with a variety of local phrases alongside destination images from across Britain. Later in March, a series of short films sees Brits sharing a warm welcome in local accents and dialects promoting their destinations, encouraging visitors to come and explore for themselves. Also from late March, a new online game on VisitBritain’s consumer website, using machine learning, goes live where players can have a fun go at mastering the accents with links to destination information to drive bookings.

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “We know there is pent-up demand for travel and that tourism is also a fiercely competitive global industry. Our priority is to build on the recovery we have seen, competing hard in markets where we are seeing strong growth, tapping in to motivations for travel now to drive bookings.

“All eyes are on Britain this year and by telling the story of our dynamic destinations and diverse culture, along with a warm British welcome, we’re inspiring visitors to discover more, stay longer and explore year-round, supporting local businesses and economies.”

The campaigns also plan to capture major events in 2023 including the Coronation of King Charles III in May and Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, on behalf of Ukraine, also in May, valuable opportunities to show Britain’s welcome, creativity and ability to host events of the highest calibre.

The campaigns have been developed based on VisitBritain’s research into motivations for travel now, with discovering new and surprising experiences high on the wish list for its target audiences and markets.

Both multi-media marketing campaigns are using a mix of on-and-offline channels including short films and branded content across social media, digital display advertising, for example digital billboards in the Paris Metro, and print media. Content also drives online traffic to VisitBritain’s consumer website with ideas and links to activities, attractions and experiences themed around ‘See Things Differently’ using #lovegreatbritain. 

VisitBritain is working with partners including Lastminute.com in Europe and online travel market place Wego in the GCC as well as paid content partnerships to extend the campaigns’ reach and drive bookings.

It has also called for tourism businesses, attractions and destinations to get involved by sharing local experiences that promote a different side of Britain across their own channels using #lovegreatbritain.

Separate campaigns are also set to run in the USA to harness the growth from this market, with visitor spending by Americans up 40% on 2019 based on latest statistics. A campaign is launching in March in the USA with British Airways as well as a test pilot of a cooperative marketing programme with industry to drive bookings. Marketing activity is also underway through VisitBritain’s GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund to boost visits through regional gateways.

VisitBritain’s latest inbound tourism forecast shows continued strong recovery in overseas visitor spending this year. Its latest forecast for 2023 is for overseas visitor spending in the UK of £29.5 billion, up 4% on the all-time spending high of £28.4 billion in 2019. It estimates 35.1 million inbound visits to the UK, 86% of 2019 levels.

VisitBritain’s ‘See Things Differently’ campaign is part of the UK Government’s GREAT campaign.

The Meetings Industry Association’s (mia) latest research has revealed that one third of organisations in the sector started the year with more confirmed bookings for 2023 than they did in 2019.

According to Conference News, mia’s latest survey of 126 event venues and suppliers found that two-thirds (66%) of organisations have forecasted more revenue for the year ahead compared to 2022.

The feature continues ‘Despite this signal of sector optimism for the year ahead, the research also reveals the estimated value of cancelled business as a result of recent rail strikes to exceed £337m for the sector, while over £550m of business has been postponed.’

The report also provides a look at the industry’s ongoing recruitment challenge as 53% of organisations claim to be understaffed, almost half (47%) have had to reduce their service, with almost eight in 10 (79%) currently advertising live vacancies.

Kerrin MacPhie, chief executive of the mia, said: “While the latest forecasts from within the sector gives confidence that we are navigating the road to recovery well in testing times, we must remain cautious of ongoing challenges that threaten the industry’s recovery. The value of business cancelled due to rail strikes demonstrates just how the UK’s volatile environment can change forecasts at the flick of a switch.”

Reda more here.

IMEX Group has published its first ever externally-verified Sustainability Report for IMEX Frankfurt (23 – 25 May). 

The IMEX Group has tracked and published the environmental performance of its American show, IMEX America, since 2012 but today’s report represents a significant achievement for its German counterpart.

The report for IMEX Frankfurt has been prepared by sustainability partners MeetGreen, an organisation devoted to accelerating the event industry’s transition to a sustainable future. It marks an extension of an existing partnership as well as the first step in an ongoing process of data-gathering intended to measure and improve the show’s environmental impact.

Today’s report is also an important milestone in IMEX’s Pathway to Net Zero. In working with an external authority to validate results, this report represents an important sustainability step for IMEX and establishes the benchmark against which all future IMEX Frankfurt shows will be measured. Previous environmental reports for IMEX Frankfurt have been conducted by IMEX staff only.

The new report covers aspects such as waste management, energy and water usage, event design and also social impact. 

IMEX Frankfurt is currently the only show at Messe Frankfurt to track such a high level of sustainable data and to make it public.

The report reveals notable achievements in waste diversion and energy use, as well as highlighting several opportunities for improvement. These include simplifying and standardising carbon footprint measurement, sourcing more carpet with recycled content and expanding community donations.

As well as benchmarking the show year on year, the report is designed to share the IMEX team’s learnings with the rest of the global business events industry and – ultimately – deliver long term change. A prime example of a long-term shift is the show’s energy use. Since 2012, IMEX has worked closely with host venue Messe Frankfurt to achieve 100% renewable electricity use. As a result, Messe Frankfurt has now adopted 100% renewable sourcing as a standard operating procedure across all its events.

“We’ve long been committed to improving and developing our sustainability practices at IMEX Frankfurt and were able to share some good results prior to the pandemic,” explains Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group. “However, thanks to an expanded partnership with our sustainability consultants MeetGreen, I’m delighted to share this first externally-verified Sustainability Report for IMEX Frankfurt 2022.

“This, together with our sustainability reports since 2012 for IMEX America, is part of a long-term commitment to the environment. As supporters of the Net Zero Carbon Events industry initiative, we’re also set to publish our roadmap to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 later this year.”

IMEX Frankfurt takes place 23 – 25 May 2023. To register – for free – click here. 

This Monday’s Insights (20 February 2023) feature brings you the latest news including Australia business events campaign, IMEX Frankfurt, event icebreakers, and more.

Headlines

Australia has launched a campaign to attract business events from the UK and Asia corporate markets.

Tourism Australia and Singapore Airlines have signed a new agreement aimed at promoting business events in Australia to the UK and Asia

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marketing and promotional activities will focus on Australia’s strengths as a business events destination by highlighting its diverse landscapes, venues, unique experiences and friendly people. 

Andrew Hogg, Tourism Australia’s executive general manager of eastern markets and aviation, said: “Business events are incredibly valuable to Australia’s visitor economy and strategic partnerships such as this help to secure future business for Australia.”

Read more.

Evolution Dome will launch its latest range at International Confex.

According to Conference News, Evolution Dome – a supplier of temporary inflatable structures – will launch its latest products at International Confex.

Attendees will be the first to see Evolution Domes’ latest inflatable structure, with its ‘multipurpose Decagon structure’ that can be used indoors and outdoors and offers five brandable walls.

Ash Austin, director, Evolution Dome, told Confere News: “Not only is the Decagon designed to be easy to transport and deploy, but it’s also our latest step towards providing more sustainable structure solutions. By using sealed air, the structure does not require a power supply and is inflated from mains or battery power, reducing carbon emissions, costs, and noise pollution in the long term.”

Read more.

IMEX Frankfurt which takes place 23 – 25 May in its long-established home, Messe Frankfurt, is now open. 

IMEX Frankfurt 2023 will reflect many of the big shifts and changes in the meetings and events industry globally. As a buying force, the Chinese market is back and Asia in general is booming, driving event demand, locally and internationally. The big tech companies in Korea are one of several factors behind this growth.

The IMEX 2023 Talking Point – Human Nature – is the backbone to the show’s four-day education programme plus many of show-floor activations, both from IMEX and imaginative partners and sponsors.  

Specialist buyer events take centre stage on Monday May 22, with programmes such as Association Focus, Agency Directors Forum and Exclusively Corporate.

Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, says “While we’re always focused on innovation, business value and experiential development, we’re still careful to ensure that IMEX Frankfurt 2023 is a physically and emotionally safe experience for all. Health and safety remain high priorities for us and, as the world and event attendees continue to demand more sustainable events, we’ll also share IMEX’s legacy and learnings while cheering the industry on to do more, and with more urgency.”

Register for IMEX Frankfurt 2023

Skift Meetings has shared 48 Icebreakers for More Engaged Events.

It says ‘Bad icebreakers feel like forced summer camp activities, while good icebreakers are the seeds of amazing friendships, business partnerships, and more. To help you break the ice in the best possible way, we’ve gathered 48 of the best business networking icebreakers.

 Skift Meetings Studio Team.’

From the Novelty and fun, to the event themed ice-breakers, read them all here.

Haymarket’s profits have climbed to £16.9m as ‘live events boost revenue’.

According to Campaign Live, Haymarket’s UK B2B arm delivered best results in a decade, with revenue up 12%.

And it was great to read that Haymarket points to the ‘continued rebound in live events after the pandemic’ in helping boost its performance.

“Haymarket’s strategic diversification of revenues and continued investment in its multiple digital platforms has ensured its data and paid content opportunities are fully maximised,” the company said.

Kevin Costello, chief executive of Haymarket Group, said: “At a group level, we have maintained strong profit levels, in spite of the challenging macro-economic conditions, driven by the return to live events. We continue to invest organically and we are actively seeking acquisition opportunities.”

Looking for some new venue openings to inspire your next meeting or event? Make sure you’re choosing a venue that meets your business objectives and company culture.

There is a range of new venue openings both freshly opened and set to open this year, we have included a list of some of our personal favourites to keep an eye out for.

Art’otel London Battersea Power Station,

‘London’s Hottest New Hotel’ the Art’otel, is set to open on the 21st of February 2023 and will certainly come in with a bang. Jaw-dropping features and stylish décor are only the start of what this venue has to offer.

This hotel boasts stunning panoramic views of the city, a rooftop pool, a jacuzzi, and a gym. The hotel has a selection of rooms including the art room, the art room plus, the art room studio, and the art room skyline plus.

All with modern, unique, and bright design features by Jamie Hayton. It is home to 6 glamorous event spaces that can hold up to 250 guests, making this an ideal location for anything from small intimate gatherings or large business meetings. For a showstopper venue, the hotel occasionally offers its glamorous 16th-floor rooftop bar.

Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars

The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Blackfriars London is brand new and set to open in a few months. Situated at Blackfriars Station, the Hyatt has direct access to public transport and is close to the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

This glamorous hotel has 204 guest rooms, each with extravagant features such as climate control, HD TV, and deluxe bathroom spaces. On top of this, the venue offers 3 flexible event spaces, all of which are extremely versatile to suit your meeting group/size.

Raffles London, Old War Office

This historic building will have 120 rooms and suites as well as 11 restaurants and bars to ensure guests are spoilt for choice.

Nestled in the centre of Westminster around half a mile from main tourist attractions such as big ben and the London eye, this new hotel is situated perfectly for both work and pleasure. The Raffles is a must-see hotel so keep an eye out for its opening later in the year.

TreeHouse Hotel Manchester

The Treehouse-themed hotel is located in the beating heart of Manchester on Deansgate, set to open this Spring. Featuring 216 rooms, a rooftop bar, and a restaurant/bar on the 14th floor, This new venue will be impressive.

A playful, fun décor throughout the hotel will allow guests to experience a stress-free and light-hearted stay. The Treehouse has a selection of event spaces, perfect for weddings, group meetings, or conferences. There are also several dining spaces for meals and catered events.

100 Princes Street Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s hottest new hotel is set to open in August of this year and will be a lovely addition to the grand selection of hotels available in the city. The hotel is a beautiful restoration of the original building, keeping some of the iconic traditional features throughout.

100 princes street which is described as a ‘Truly Scottish experience’ has 30 guest rooms and suites as well as a unique 2:1 staff ratio ensuring that guests have the most enjoyable and efficient experience during their stay.

The Wildes Hotel, Chester

Set to open in the spring of this year, this stunning, boutique, Chester – based hotel will have 18 rooms and a rooftop pool with beautiful city views. In addition to this, the hotel will also feature a luxury spa and mouth-wateringly tasty meals served at the restaurant.

Room2, Belfast

With the success of London’s Room2 developments, Room2 is branching out into Belfast and will be set to open its doors this spring. The hotel boasts 175 rooms, a gym, a restaurant, and event spaces.

The Wesley Camden Town, London

The newly opened Wesley in Camden Town opened in January 2023. This boutique hotel has 20 meeting rooms, all varying sizes with flexibility for different events.

There are 38 stylish rooms with contemporary features, made using sustainably sourced materials. In addition to this, the hotel has a lovely restaurant and bar to make your stay even better!

Hotel La Palma, Capri, Italy

Venturing a little further afield, the Hotel La Palma is set in a gorgeous location on the popular island of Capri. It is the newest addition to the Oetker Collection and will be very aesthetically pleasing.

With a clean, modern feel, the hotel will offer a range of traditional Italian cuisines produced by  Michelin-starred chef Gennaro Esposito when it opens this spring.

Kempinski Hotel Cancun, Cancun, Mexico

This glamorous hotel will have 315 guest rooms and 48 suites with an elegant vibe and its own private balcony overlooking the Caribbean sea.

With a mixture of both inside and outside event spaces, this luxury hotel will amaze any guests and have plenty of room to accommodate groups of all sizes. Direct access to the beach makes this hotel unbeatable and in demand so be quick if it’s your dream stay!

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, Maldives

Anticipated to open in Spring, this beautiful hotel incorporates the nature surrounding it to give a luxurious and relaxing feel. Each of the 44 beachfront villas and the 36 overwater villas come with a private pool for ease and comfort as well as magnificent views. Designed to make guests feel at one with nature, the Alila is one of a kind.

Keep an eye on EDGE Venues for more updates!

We’re almost certain Edinburgh city comes to mind when you’re ticking places off your UK event destination bucket list. So, we take a look at why Scotland’s pride and joy is favoured by event profs.

Edinburgh city’s Attractiveness

Edinburgh city is a picturesque combination of old and new, historical, and modern. Made up of the New Town and the Old Town, it is seriously eye-catching. With breath taking views and endless culture, it is popular among event profs.

Attracting a vast four million visitors and hosting thousands of events annually, its compact city makes Edinburgh perfect for easy exploration.

The city’s transport is easy and accessible, with tram and bus routes running regularly. This local transport is alongside Edinburgh’s international airport – one of the UK’s busiest.

A big part of Edinburgh’s cultural draw is its summer festivals and events. The Fringe is a perfect example: the month-long festival attracts diverse visitors from across the globe.

Edinburgh’s History

Home to the famous Edinburgh Castle, the city is rich with historical stories and buildings. Cobbled streets and medieval dungeon tours set the scene for the old town, with traditional bars and restaurants scattered along the Royal Mile.

Edinburgh city’s endless must-see sights include the Scott Monument, St Giles cathedral, and the famous Holyrood palace, all of great importance to UK heritage.

For the more adventurous visitor’s Edinburgh has various walks. How about a hike to Arthur’s seat, or a pleasant stroll up Calton Hill to observe beautiful historical architecture?

Edinburgh’s Food

Edinburgh has a wide variety of tastes for any palette from celebrity chef run restaurants to various global cuisines. The selection of restaurants available will leave any visitor spoilt for choice.

The Ivy is a high-end stylish option with delicious food to suit all tastes and incredible cocktails. There are numerous mouth-watering Italians including Mia’s Italian Kitchen which is a personal favourite of mine.

Additionally, there are a selection of steakhouses and traditional fish and chip shops. You’ll find The Fishmarket, Down the Hatch, and Scran Bistro cooking up top-tier food all year round.

Edinburgh’s Venues

With Edinburgh’s attractiveness and sheer popularity, the venues on offer throughout the city follow this trend. There are an endless number of hotels, meeting rooms, and conference facilities across the city, and here are a few to consider.

Radisson Blu Hotel – Edinburgh City Centre

The Radisson Blu is located in the city centre on the Royal Mile. And Edinburgh’s historical castle is just a few steps away. The venue is stylish and sleek, providing all the necessities and a great service.

Edinburgh central station is only a few minutes’ walk away, and Edinburgh International airport is a 13km drive.

Offering 238 bedrooms and nine meeting rooms it is a spacious venue with complimentary Wi-Fi available throughout the hotel. Boasting two restaurants, leisure facilities and on-site parking (additional fee), it’s a popular venue.

MEETING ROOMS: 9
BEDROOMS: 238

BOOK NOW

Intercontinental Edinburgh The George

Intercontinental is a prestigious venue which can be found in major cities across 60 countries globally. It is one of the oldest and most sought-after hotels in the city, situated right in the heart of the new town.

A few minutes’ walk away from the main street, the area is just five minutes from Waverly train station. The grade 2 listed building offers seven grand meeting rooms and 250 bedrooms.

MEETING ROOMS: 7
BEDROOMS: 250

BOOK NOW

Kimpton Charlotte Square

Overlooking the beautiful Charlotte Square gardens, the historical hotel is one of the oldest in the city. The hotel is made up of seven Georgian townhouses in the glorious New Town. It offers seven large function rooms and 199 bedrooms.

The venue is easily accessible: a 10-minute walk from Waverley Station and a 15-minute drive from the airport. The Kimpton has numerous high-end restaurants and bars on its doorstep. With high-speed free Wi-Fi throughout as well, it has everything to offer your delegates.

MEETING ROOMS: 7
BEDROOMS: 199

BOOK NOW

Holiday Inn Edinburgh

Located outside the city centre, the Holiday Inn is just four miles from the airport, with 250 free parking spaces. Despite being further from the centre, there are regular bus links providing easy access to the heart of the city.

The academy at the Holiday Inn has panoramic views across the hills and the nearby zoo. The property also boasts 14 large meeting rooms and 303 bedrooms. It’s an ideal venue for meetings, new conference food menus ensure that every guest is catered for.

MEETING ROOMS: 14
BEDROOMS: 303

BOOK NOW

Edinburgh is perfect for your next event, so check out more venues here!

This Monday’s Insights (06 February 2023) feature brings you the latest news from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events, isla’s new CTO, UK exhibitions industry bouncing back, and more.

Headlines

The shadow culture secretary, Lucy Powell MP, has joined the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events

Powell is a Labour Member of Parliament for Manchester Central and holds the role of Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG) is a cross-party group made up of members from both Houses of Parliament, and acts as the event industry’s voice in Westminster.

The APPG for Events provides a forum for the highly diverse and valuable UK events industry in Parliament, engaging with representatives from across the political spectrum, and supports The Business of Events, an independent Think Tank for the events sector.

The APPG plays a key role in keeping the events industry high on the Parliamentary agenda.

Manchester Central has struck up a significant partnership with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to bolster the region’s business opportunities.

The two organisations have aligned in a bid to connect businesses right across the city region, helping to build networks and add value to firms of all sizes. The new partnership has grown from a collaboration which began in 2019 with the launch of the now popular Destination for Business event series which covers topical themes for Manchester business leaders and help to put the events sector at the centre of conversations.

As part of the agreement, Chamber members will have the chance to get involved with a myriad of events hosted at Manchester Central, while event organisers will also be able to list events on the Chamber’s website, promoting them across the region, and get complimentary access to members’ lounges and workspace at Chamber HQ in the city. Throughout the partnership, there will be joint promotion of events and ongoing collaborations to ensure as many businesses in the city as possible have the opportunity to connect with each other. 

Kickstarting the partnership, the fifth Destination for Business event will take place this Thursday, 9th February, discussing sustainable growth within the city-region. Panellists will include Nick Richardson, founder of The Insights Family; leadership coach and business owner Maria Brycleland, Melanie Yeomans, partner at Ward Hadaway, Patrick Molyneux, co-founding partner at Acceleris Capital and Sharon Amesu, co-founder of She Leads for Legacy. Places are free and must be booked in advance online.

Shaun Hinds, CEO at Manchester Central, said: “Businesses of all sizes are the lifeblood of our regional economy and mutually benefit from connecting with others to grow and develop. We are resolute in our commitment to helping the city’s businesses to thrive. Our partnership facilitates this by creating valuable conversations, opportunities and collaborations which we hope will generate transactions for Manchester and North West businesses.

“Beyond this, we know clients across a broad spectrum of sectors are increasingly keen to engage with local businesses and communities when they bring an event to Greater Manchester. They see the significance and importance of attracting regional audiences to their events and making a positive impact on the region they are visiting. We’re really pleased to partner with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, which will no doubt help to bolster the region’s business community.”

Lewis Crowe, head of membership and commercial at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, added: “It’s incredible to see the city alive again with business events hugely contributing to our regional economy. This partnership allows us to build on this success and we’re looking forward to seeing the great initiatives that are instigated by working together in this way.”

isla has appointed Malcolm Leach as its first Chief Technical Officer (CTO) to develop TRACE – the definitive carbon measurement platform for sustainable events.

Malcolm joins isla from his most recent role as CTO at finance broker Funding Options, and brings with him more than three decades of experience spanning across technical product development, operational transformation and business scalability. 

His role comes at a time of rapid growth for isla and TRACE. He will provide technical leadership and help develop and grow the TRACE team to ensure the platform continues to meet the needs of the industry and the wider net-zero landscape.

As CTO, he will also spearhead new data-driven product features to enable adopters to seamlessly measure, manage and minimise carbon emissions for events of all sizes, engaging their value chain and brand partners along the way.

isla CEO & Co-Founder Anna Abdelnoor said: “We’re thrilled Malcolm is joining the isla team. His appointment marks a key turning point for TRACE as we focus on accelerating event emission reductions and growing our data-led Insights – one of our key business pillars.”

isla CTO Malcolm Leach said: “Tackling climate change has always been important to me in my personal life and I’m excited to bring this into my professional life, joining the fantastic team at isla in their mission to help accelerate the event industry’s transition to a sustainable, net-zero ready future.”

Double Take

UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, says the UK exhibitions industry is bouncing back from Covid-19 and recovering better than many other destinations. 

The UFI’s latest research, covered in Exhibition News, shows that UK exhibitions are performing well but ‘highlight different concerns for organisers here to the rest of the world. 

The biggest pressure for the UK industry for the coming year was the national economy and global economic pressures, whereas worldwide results prioritised issues within management structures and digitalisation.’

Read more about the UFI Global Barometer report and its results, in Exhibition News.