EDGE Venues, a leading force in the meeting and events industry, recently hosted its highly anticipated EDGE Venues Summer Party, bringing together an esteemed gathering of EDGE Venues licensees, corporate clients, and their teams. Now in its fourth year, this event not only celebrated the achievements of EDGE Venues but also created a vibrant environment for nurturing meaningful connections, sharing valuable business intelligence, and showcasing the power of collaboration.
The event served as a platform for sharing valuable business
intelligence through interactive workshops providing attendees with insights
into the latest trends, best practices, and innovative solutions.
Tracy Winsworth, Managing Director for EDGE Venues is delighted by the success and response of the event. “Our Summer Party is always so well attended, and I’m delighted this year to have welcomed some familiar faces, as well as new ones. It’s so important to be able to demonstrate the capabilities of the EDGE Venues platform to share how business opportunities can be maximised, both from the perspective of a licensee and of the corporate client.”
What our guests said about attending the EDGE Venues Summer Party
Jacquey Parker, JUMP Consultancy, said this on attending the
event: “When just getting on with the day-to-day job I tend to forget what an
isolating experience being a sole trader can sometimes be. It was such a treat
therefore to take time out to attend the EDGE Venues Summer Party. Two insightful
and informative industry focussed workshops and lively round table discussions,
are always fascinating to understand the challenges that many venues face.
“Great to spend time connecting with fellow industry
professionals and meet up with so many of the EDGE Venues Licensee members and
reconnect with some of the fabulous venues I’ve had the opportunity to work
with and site visit so far this year.”
Samantha Martin, Business Development Manager at Wyboston Lakes commented: “What a great day we had at the EDGE Venues summer party! Lizzie Thorpe and I enjoyed an afternoon of industry updates, networking and hearing all about the exciting and innovative plans that EDGE Venues have for the future. As Lizzie said afterwards “This is certainly not an agency that stands still for long!””
Radisson Hotels
UK Ltd has committed 26 of its UK&I properties to EDGE Venues, the online
venue finding tool which supports corporates, associations and agency buyers to
find venues for their event programmes.
EDGE Venues has been developed as the online venue platform with personality. That’s because the team at EDGE listen to the marketplace and build trust with both their users and venues. The relationship between Radisson Hotels UK Ltd and EDGE has gone from strength to strength as their support for the industry and their innovative aims and objectives of adding value to their key stakeholders become more apparent.
Jacqui Kavanagh – CEO, EDGE Venues
Jacqui Kavanagh, EDGE Venues CEO, said: “The buyer’s journey through selecting and contracting venues for conferences and incentives has changed. Radisson Hotels UK Ltd recognises that buyers need more detailed technical information for proper buying decisions to support corporate governance, health, safety, and technical and sustainability.
“Alongside delivering on those points
for buyers, EDGE Venues regularly engages with all our users to determine
further changes in their needs and how we can build solutions into our technology
in the simplest form. I can see the same continuous innovation and aim to add
value for our key stakeholders in Radisson Hotels UK Ltd, so our new
partnership works on all levels.
Kaarin Chadwick, Key Account Manager UK&I at Radisson Hotels UK Ltd
Radisson Hotels UK Ltd have been using EDGE Venues for more than a year with 10 licensees previously and following its success and recognition in demand for such technology, has added an additional 16 properties. This includes the Group’s largest UK Hotel and newly re-branded Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre London Heathrow and Radisson RED Hotel London Heathrow.
Kaarin Chadwick, Key Account Manager UK&I at Radisson Hotels UK Ltd, said: “The openness of EDGE Venues platform and the simple approach to the enquiry system is refreshing in a world that can be very complex. Innovation within our industry is the right direction for us as a company. EDGE reflects our path – we share the same values and commitment to investment with forward-thinking companies.”
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
The counter-terror Protect Duty bill – otherwise known as Martyn’s Law – moved ahead another step in the legislative process on the 10th May as it was confirmed in the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the Government’s plans for the year ahead.
The Protect Duty will be a new piece of anti-terrorism legislation designed to ensure the public is better protected from a “multifaceted, diverse and continually evolving” terror threat. Its purpose is to “keep people safe by introducing new security requirements for certain public locations and venues to ensure preparedness for and protection from terrorist attacks”.
It follows a campaign from Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett, who lost his life in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in May 2017.
ICC Belfast will host the first All-Ireland Sustainability Summit, on 09 June 2022. Business leaders and officials from across the Island of Ireland will be gathering at ICC Belfast, where attendees will have an opportunity to put sustainability firmly on their radar for 2022 and beyond.
The aim of the event is to raise the profile of the wider sustainability agenda and help companies create positive change within their own organisations.
Danielle McCormick, Owner and Lead Consultant at sustainability consultancy, Triterra, comments “There has been a huge shift in businesses adopting more sustainable practices over the past couple of years and feel that this has really come in to play across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in more recent months.”
She continued “Research from HSBC has revealed that 78% of UK businesses expect sales to grow over the next year as a result of an increased focus on sustainability, with the main reasons cited including improving operational efficiency (26%), meet regulatory requirements (26%) and to gain a reputational advantage (24%).”
The 2022 UFI European Conference, which took place over three days, put the spotlight on important industry topics and challenges faced by exhibition and event industry professionals. UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, identified key themes of discussion, including post-pandemic recovery, new business models, the talent crisis, net zero and other sustainable questions.
The event, which took place in Poznan, Poland, was hosted by Grupa MTP and offered a blend of keynote sessions, interactive workshops, networking and social activities.
The format of the conference continues to evolve to better serve delegates, this time including a speed networking session, organised in collaboration with London-based industry recruitment agency Expocast, and the first live Exhibition Think Tank workshop.
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust, has been confirmed as the operator for the new Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCEC) that will open in 2026.
As the existing Government operator of convention and exhibition services in the state of Victoria, the Trust already manages the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and will manage both GCEC and MCEC to leverage expertise and opportunities to collaborate.
GCEC will be developed on the Geelong Waterfront precinct as part of the Geelong City Deal – a partnership between the Australian and Victorian Governments, together with the City of Greater Geelong.
The $294 million project includes the construction of a purpose-built Convention and Exhibition Centre, incorporating a 1000 seat plenary venue and at least 3700 square metres of flexible event space to allow large and small events to run concurrently.
The centre will be a major driver of jobs and economic growth for the City of Greater Geelong and surrounding areas, supporting 600 jobs during construction and an additional 270 ongoing jobs through operations.
Every event at GCEC will benefit a local ecosystem of hoteliers, event organisers, food providores, chefs and casual wait staff, cleaners, technicians, logistics and transport operators and more.
Peter King, Chief Executive of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre said:
“We have more than 25 years’ experience hosting and delivering world class business events and we’re excited to start operating in Geelong and the Bellarine. We look forward to engaging the local community, businesses, and event organisers as the Centre is developed.
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
The Buyers Networking Club’s (BNC) salary survey results are in! It provides an insightful perspective and overview of salaries, roles, employment perks and packages. The survey ran for five weeks, from February 9th to March 17th 2022, and 123 BNC members took part. You can access this conference and event managers association’s report by signing up to the BNC’s mailing list atthebnc.co.uk.
Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that the Elizabeth line will open on Tuesday, 24 May 2022, subject to final safety approvals.
The Elizabeth line will transform travel across London and the South East by dramatically improving transport links, cutting journey times, providing additional capacity, and transforming accessibility with spacious new stations and walk-through trains.
The Elizabeth line will initially operate as three separate railways, with services from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield connecting with the central tunnels from autumn this year.
“Sponsors are keen to return to live events,” says etc.venues. According to Conference News, Adam Simpson, director of marketing, etc.venues, says the return of live events is good news for sponsors of conferences, awards and associations.
“Live events provide an opportunity to gain the full return on their investment in partnerships after two years of restrictions,” Adam explains.
The UK’s most inclusive venues have been celebrated at the Blue Badge Access Awards at Hotel Brooklyn in Manchester. The awards promote exceptional venues comprising thoughtful, design-led accessibility and recognise those who have gone above and beyond in their mission to achieve inclusivity for all.
Fiona Jarvis, chair of judges, said: “The Blue Badge Access Awards give recognition to businesses and establishments that have addressed accessibility imaginatively and thoughtfully, which is what every hotel and hospitality venue should be striving to achieve.
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
European flights recover to 80 per cent of 2019 levels as reported by Business Travel News Europe according to the latest data from air traffic management organisation Eurocontrol.
Growth is primarily being driven by low-cost carriers Ryan Air at 10 per cent increase from 2019, and Wizz Air showing 17 per cent increase on 2019 services.
The rest of the European carriers are still below 2019 figures, with major operators, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France and KLM all operating at least 20 per cent of fewer services than in April 2019.
UK continues to be busiest European market with an average of 4771 flights per day, 82 per cent of 2019’s daily services.
‘Meaningful meetings’ is the focus for ICCA Community Forum
Meeting design, regeneration and legacy impact will be the key topics explored at the newly launched ICCA Global Association Community Forum.
Taking place in Lausanne, Switzerland on 5-7 September 2022, at the Beaulieu Convention Center, the forum will take a collaborative and interactive approach, delivering educational content through group activities.
Hotel development across Europe falls during last year. The development pipeline for European hotel rooms has fallen by just under eight per cent over the past 12 months.
Figures from hotel industry data analyst STR found there were around 550,000 rooms in the development pipeline across Europe in March, down by 7.7 per cent on the same month in 2021.
Doubletake
EDGE Venues Silent Auction Smashes £5K Target for Ukraine
It’s been nearly two months
since the war started in Ukraine, and we continue to see suffering from people
fleeing their homes for safety. To support those individuals and families who
need it most, EDGE Venues launched its silent auction last month to raise money
for the Humanitarian Relief Fund through the Disasters
Emergency Committee (DEC).
The auction launched on 10
March, with 68 lots kindly donated by hotels and venues across the UK. There
was tremendous interest from the industry, and EDGE Venues was inundated with
some fantastic bids and some additional donated lots that extended the length
of the auction.
From the original lot list,
EDGE Venues set an initial target of £5,000. Thanks to fantastic generosity and
incredible support, the target was smashed, raising just shy of £10,000.
Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO of EDGE
Venues, is not surprised by the level of support shown and thanks those who got
involved and supported in any way they could.
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) has received enquiries tallying more than 16,860 delegate days’ worth of face-to-face events.
The data has been collected over the last three months from ABPCO’s web-based enquiry system, which links associations with ABPCO accredited professional conference organiser members.
ABPCO association director, Heather Lishman said, “I am delighted to see that our messaging is getting out there and associations are recognising the vital need to use an accredited PCO, whether they are providing in-person, virtual or hybrid solutions. There are many conference organisers out there – but to ensure the success of an event, associations really do need to be working with a professional who truly understands the unique needs of associations and their events.”
IMEX Group extends partnership with Messe Frankfurt until 2025. Messe Frankfurt, the host venue for IMEX in Frankfurt, has worked with the IMEX Group since the launch of the first show in 2003.
“We have worked with Messe Frankfurt since the very first IMEX in Frankfurt show, moving into the venue’s largest hall in 2005 as the show grew. Messe Frankfurt has been a very supportive and flexible partner along the way, working with us to regularly evolve the show to meet the needs of our global industry. This year’s IMEX in Frankfurt is set to be very special – we’re returning to Frankfurt for the first time in two years and also celebrating 20 years of the show. ”
Mark Mulligan, director of operations at the IMEX Group
Events Industry Council launches data collection for its Economic Significance Study.
The Events Industry Council (EIC), the global voice of the business events industry, has launched the data collection phase of its landmark Economic Significance Study, in collaboration with Oxford Economics.
The ambitious Economic Significance Study comprises four insight streams to examine the global events industry’s economic impact and, for the first time, quantify the cumulative losses experienced in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By analysing this data and understanding it, the EIC can establish the full value of meetings and prospects for 2022 and beyond, including the tactics/strategies being employed by the meetings and events industry to accelerate its recovery.
As part of the Study, the EIC released its latest Global Business Events Barometer, 2021 Q4. The Barometer monitors the changes within the market relative to pre-pandemic (2019) levels, points to continued positive growth across each of the seven global regions tracked by the Barometer, with 2021 Q4 gains in both RFP activity (up 14% from 2021 Q3) and hotel group room nights (up 15% from 2021 Q3).
Skift Forum Europe 2022 brought together Europe’s top minds in travel and set the scene for what recovery from the Covid pandemic will look like in the event industry.
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG) has re-elected the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP as its chair. The news ensures that work to promote the sector to the Government thus far will carry on uninterrupted.
Speaking about her re-election, Theresa Villiers commented; “It is great that the APPG for Events will continue its efforts to support this crucially important sector of the economy. I am delighted to take on the chairmanship for another year.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on a cross-party basis on our new programme of activity, including generating ideas on how this country can bring further major international events here.”
Newcastle and Gateshead venues have united in a Covid bounce-back campaignto recapture the £150m annual events and meetings market.
35 venues from major hotel chains to historic buildings have joined forces to help build back event organisers’ confidence. They will stage everything from international conferences to team building sessions in Newcastle and Gateshead.
The ‘Tyne To Get Back To Business’ campaign has seen all of the venues gain AIM Secure accreditation. The AIM accreditation is the only one for business meetings and events recognised by Government, and has been
enhanced over the last two years to help venues adapt to Covid.
The campaign aims to take take the message of NewcastleGateshead’s post-pandemic confidence across the country. It includes a marketing and publicity campaign extolling the many virtues of staging business meetings and events in the area.
“This fantastic initiative is typical of the determination and tenacity of the sector, its people and venues who operate within it.”
75 football and rugby clubs across the UK have received nominations for The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2022.
The awards will take place at Anfield Stadium, home to Liverpool Football Club on Thursday 26th May 2022. 2022 will be the 15th annual awards event and marks the 20th Anniversary of Stadium Experience.
The event aims to recognise the efforts of the catering, conference and events teams at UK football and rugby stadiums.
There are a potential 39 awards up for grabs. The full list of categories and 2022 nominees can be found here, on stadiumexperience.com.
The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has had a “very positive year” and is “financially stable” despite the pandemic. The trade body’s board of directors informed members attending its recent AGM.
At the association’s 32nd annual general meeting, Chair Steve Jones listed its successes of the last year. Points to note included strong member retention, despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the meetings and events industry.
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
The US B2B exhibition industry continues improvement in Q4 2021 results. According to Exhibition World, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has reported that the US business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions industry improved significantly in the fourth quarter of 2021 from the previous seven quarters.
Cancellation rates for physical in-person events dropped to 12.5% from 91.3% in the first quarter, 66.2% in the second quarter and 20.6% in the third quarter of 2021. About 98% of exhibitions were cancelled during the second half of 2020.
The Netherlands has ended the requirement for European travellers to take pre-departure tests from Wednesday (23 March).
The country, which has enforced some of the strictest rules in Europe during the pandemic, will no longer require international passengers from across the EU and the UK to provide a negative Covid-19 test on arrival, regardless of their vaccination status.
Travellers will also not have to provide proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus. But they will still have to fill in a health declaration form.
A Dutch government statement read: “Everyone travelling to the Netherlands is advised to do a self-test immediately after arrival and again on day five.”
Business travel is pushing London City airport towards its busiest month since the start of the pandemic. According to BTN Europe, the east London airport said passenger numbers in March had increased by 40 per cent since February, with the share of business traffic rising to 46 per cent – the same level as during 2019 – thanks to “strong” growth for corporate-orientated routes to Edinburgh, Zurich, Amsterdam and Dublin.
London City is being further boosted by the start of new BA CityFlyer routes this month to Milan Malpensa and Luxembourg, plus the restart of services to Rotterdam and Nice.
Beam urged UK tax authority to show greater flexibility ahead of chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement on Wednesday (23 March).
Business events and meetings trade body Beam called for UK chancellor Rishi Sunak to ensure there is “greater flexibility and understanding” about the ability for companies in the sector to make tax payments while cash flow remains low.
Simon Richards, Beam’s treasurer said: “Beam is calling for greater flexibility and understanding from HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) about payments. The government needs to recognise that, although they have bookings for events in the near future, many businesses in the sector still have significant cost liabilities but very little income – and they won’t be paid until those events have taken place.
“On top of this, they are now repaying bounce back loans and about to pay higher national insurance and VAT. The rising costs of fuel and food are also challenging. We need recognition that the cash flow of our industry is unique and, without this recognition from HMRC, recruitment and recovery will not start for many months to come.”
Doubletake
The Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau has launched a Conference Ambassador Network to drive more global events into the region.
The initiative, supported by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Business and Tourism Programme (BATP), will see regional professionals from academia and business champion the West Midlands and their own work to win new conferences and events.
Ambassadors will receive support from the Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau and partners throughout the bidding process, from finding a suitable venue and preparing proposals, to the smooth running of the event itself.
Steve Knight, Senior Business Tourism Manager, WMGC, which operates the Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau, said: “Our Conference Ambassador Network will be a platform for the West Midlands’ greatest minds and industry leaders to come together to attract major new national and international conferences to the area.
“The West Midlands shows time and again what it can achieve when it collaborates, from hosting high-profile events such as the Conservative Party Conference to successfully bidding for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“By unlocking further contacts within our academic and business communities through this new network, we are showing that we are open for business after a challenging couple of years, and aiming to leave a Games legacy as a major global events destination.”
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the last week.
Headlines
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, has confirmed that “The world is largely open for travel.”
In a news release on www.iata.org, Walsh continued: “As population immunity grows, more governments are managing COVID-19 through surveillance, as they do for other endemic viruses.
“That is great news for a growing number of destinations that will receive a much-needed economic boost from the upcoming Easter and Northern Summer travel seasons.
“Asia is the outlier. Hopefully, recent relaxations including Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the Philippines are paving the way towards restoring the freedom to travel that is more broadly enjoyed in other parts of the world.”
Contracts have been signed for Derby’s new £45.8m events venue. The 3,500 capacity entertainment and events venue will be built on the site of the former Pennine Hotel, Laurie House offices, multi-storey car park and Pink Coconut nightclub in Colyear Street and Padley House in Becket Street.
The new venue will be owned by Derby City Council. It will be leased to and operated by ASM Global. AMS’s portfolio includes OVO Arena Wembley, AO Arena, Utilita Arena, Bonus Arena, first direct Arena, Olympia London and OVO Hydro.
The venue will be a scalable space capable of staging a range of concerts, family shows, exhibitions, and business events. Construction work on the venue is due to start in January 2023.
A collective of hospitality industry representatives has launched Lunch4Ukraine in order to raise £100,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine appeal.
A new Chair of ACC Liverpool Group will help drive the venue’s post-pandemic recovery.
Kate Nicholls OBE takes over from previous chair, Max Steinberg CBE, who’s reached the end of his three-year fixed-term contract.
Nicholls says: “I am passionate about driving the events and hospitality sectors forward and my ambitions are very much aligned to those of the organisation and city-wide.
“Through my networks and industry insight, I am ready to provide the team with the best possible support and guidance as the business moves forward through recovery and on to the next phase of its development.”
Doubletake
The latest Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee report has revealed a lack of overall vision or direction to the Government’s eventspolicy.
According to mitmagazine.co.uk (M&IT), the report says: “The Government is spending a lot of money on this year’s major events. Yet while individual occasions may well deliver memorable moments, we see no golden thread linking the events or tying them to a vision for the future of this country.
The committee has also criticised the funding for DCMS’s flagship UK City of Culture programme.
This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.
Headlines
Conference News has shared the winners of the 2022 London Tourism Awards, which were announced at the Old Library, Guildhall on March 10.
Hosted by London & Partners, the live awards event hosted 10 categories, including ‘Unsung Hero’ and ‘Resilience and Innovation’.
You can read the full list of winners here, and see the wonderful story behind Hilton London Metropole’s Neeshal Jeewon’s ‘Unsung Hero’ award.
Manchester Central has opened submissions for its Incubator programme, aimed at nurturing the next generation of event experiences.
Designed to discover and develop the cutting-edge event concepts of the future, the programme is open to organisations and businesses, of all sizes and sectors, who have a unique event concept and need help in bringing it to life.
Successful applicants will be offered the opportunity to embark on an exciting collaborative partnership with Team Manchester Central, to transform their big idea into a reality at the iconic venue.
EDGE Venues’ CEO, Jacqui Kavanagh, has joined other inspiring industry leaders as part of micebook.com’s first Power 50 publication. The Power 50 is dedicated to shining the spotlight on 50 inspiring female agency leaders in the UK events industry. Its launch was timed to coincide with International Women’s Day 2022 on 8 March and was held at ME London.
Over 100 female event profs gathered, including most of micebook’s Power 50 along with aspiring leaders from within their businesses, for an afternoon of thought-provoking content sessions, including a panel exploring the key pathways to leadership, workshops, and a keynote session with Tara Ruttley, NASA chief scientist and keynote speaker.
Read more about the event and download the publication, below.
EDGE Venues has launched a silent auction to support the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. The auction has an initial target of £5,000 and all money raised will go to support Ukrainians in urgent need of financial aid. Read the full story on M&IT magazine.
