Corporate event management: Manchester hosted 5.2m delegates in 2011

Date: 01/06/2012

Corporate conferences and events generated £822 million for Manchester last year, with 5.2 million delegates visiting the city.

This is according to figures which have been released by Visit Manchester, showing that corporate hospitality can be done just as well up north as in London.

The statistics for 2011 show that corporate visitors increased by 23 per cent from 2009 when 4.2 million people attended conferences and corporate functions in Manchester.

Paul Simpson, managing director of Visit Manchester, said: "We are thrilled with the results of this study, which shows just how big a contribution the conference and business tourism sector makes to the local economy – in terms of both economic value and job creation."

In terms of offering employment for locals, business tourism is providing a steady full-time job for 21,800 people in Greater Manchester.

The study acts as a good reminder to anyone planning a corporate event that the infrastructure exists for it to go smoothly.

Venues and service providers are well set up to welcome delegates and offer them a professional experience.

It is important for cities such as Manchester to portray this image in 2012 more than any other year as this summer may see some businesses shying away from hosting corporate events in London.

With all the hype surrounding both the Jubilee and the Olympics, Manchester and other locations in the UK are set to do well as firms pick an alternative to the capital.

Mr Simpson said: "There have been major developments in Greater Manchester’s conference product over recent years, in terms of developing the infrastructure and support services that organisers expect of a world class conference destination and increasing the region’s conference venue supply."

Two of the major players to have chosen Manchester as a location for corporate conferences are Citroen and TalkTalk.

Related Articles:

Corporate event management: Event management goes digital
Corporate event management: Double award win for Showsec
Corporate event management: Event Production Show hailed as a success
Corporate event management: Events buyers and venues to come together in Cardiff
Corporate event management: Building an Olympic legacy

 

› Return