Working with VisitBritain to increase business ‘tourism’
With the 2012 Olympic Games bringing unprecedented interest in Britain, the UK events and tourism sectors intend to maximise the benefits of games to ensure that historical upwards trends in business tourism seen in Barcelona, Sydney and Athens are fully exploited here. According to figures published by VisitBritain, the UK’s tourism authority, the average spend per visit by a person attending an exhibition/trade fair (£645) or large conference (£668) is substantially higher (44%) than a general leisure visitor (£456).
As a result of Events Industry Alliance lobbying, there is now a growing awareness of the economic impact of events within Government and eventBritain will be at the forefront of ensuring that live event marketing is given the greater focus and attention it deserves. eventBritain has been established by VisitBritain with one core objective, ‘to work with UK industry partners to support any bids they make for sporting, business and cultural events’ according to head of business visits and events, VisitBritain, Joss Croft.
The adoption of an events support strategy, and the creation of eventBritain, recognises the potential of the sector and is a major opportunity to make a real contribution to the visitor economy. The eventBritain team is developing a suite of services and functions that add value to the bidding for and marketing of events, which includes addressing the thorny UK issue of the absence of ministerial support at events. There exists much competition within the UK events industry and eventBritain sees its role to not to negate this competition, but to ensure that events that could be placed with overseas competitors are placed in Britain. In addition the team clearly recognises that not all organisations will require these services and they are proposed very much as a “pick and mix” to add best value to the winning of more events for Britain.
Group chief executive of the Events Industry Alliance, Trevor Foley says, “the eventBritain initiative will not only have a huge impact in raising awareness of this booming UK sector, but will deliver real practical assistance and support to event organisers and venue owners, too long ignored by government and its agencies. The UK events industry is one of the strongest and undoubtedly most innovative and advanced in the world, in spite of the lack of official support. The sector will jump on the new opportunities that eventBritain offers and fully engage with all parties to maximise benefits for all.”
"I am delighted that EIA has given its input and wholehearted endorsement for this exciting new strategy, which ensures that eventBritain offers the most relevant support to event organisers and British venues" affirms Croft. The Events Industry Alliance will continue to work with eventBritain as a key priority to develop strategy further and identify real gaps where eventBritain can add real value to winning more business for Britain. “Forging closer relationships to influence strategic partners has been and continues as a prime objective,” concludes Foley.
===ENDS, EIA DETAILS BELOW===
The EIA is supported by marketing partners Dubai World Trade Centre, IELA and getmemedia.com
---NOTES TO EDITORS---
About the EIA: www.eventsindustryalliance.com
The EIA seeks to communicate the huge opportunities for business growth via the medium of live event marketing, to place live events at the heart of modern marketing, and increase the medium's market share.
EIA will deliver its vision via:
1. Promotion - influencing key target groups (see below)
2. Measurement - conveying effectiveness of live events / improving industry evaluation
3. Participation - broadening EIA involvement among all live sectors and client companies
4. Expertise - promoting greater skills among users by sharing knowledge and best practice
EIA target groups:
a) Client organisations and their marketing/brand managers
b) Agencies
c) National and marketing media
d) Government lobbying and support
e) Academia
For more information, visit the website at www.eventsindustryalliance.com
---CONTACT---
Events Industry Alliance (EIA)
Declan Gane, EIA PR Manager
Email: declan.gane@eventsindustryalliance.com
Events Industry Alliance (EIA)
119 High Street
Berkhamsted
Hertfordshire
HP4 2DJ
Telephone: (01442) 873331
Facsimile: (01442) 875551
About eventBritain
“The newly established eventBritain team has one core objective – to work with UK industry partners to support any bids they make for sporting, business and cultural events”
Joss Croft – Head of Business Visits and Events, VisitBritain
With the adoption of an events support strategy, and the creation of eventBritain, VisitBritain has a wonderful opportunity to make a real contribution to the visitor economy. Already there are 450 major events held nationally worth around £1 billion to the UK economy (Leisure Industry Research Centre) and the potential goes so much further. VisitBritain must ensure that the rewards that arise from hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 can be exploited to the maximum. We know from previous studies from hosting cities can produce fantastic results but eventBritain must galvanise this chance to act as a true catalyst within the industry and reap the rewards that the events industry offers and fully exploit the enormous appetite that all our industry partners and stakeholders have for this sector (15% of delegates alone at the 2007 SportAccord event were from UK).
Facts that speak for themselves:-
· The average spend per visit from a person attending an exhibition/trade fair (£645) or large conference (£668) is substantially higher (44%) than a general leisure visitor (£456) demonstrating the higher yield – IPS 2005.
· Business visits and events (business visits (27%) and sporting events (23%)) are likely to accrue up to 50% of the overall benefit from the London 2012 Games (Atlanta doubled its convention business over its Games decade, Barcelona’s convention bureau business increased by 129% in the year following the 1992 games, business visit arrivals to Australia increased by 78% between 1993 and 1997 and by 17% between 1997 and 2000) – (DCMS).
· A recent study by KPMG for Advantage West Midlands puts the overall impact of business visits and events for the Birmingham alone at £2.3 billion, and employing 36,700 FTE jobs in the region.
· Seasonality – 49% of business tourism occurs between October and March – the equivalent figure for leisure travel is 37% (IPS).
· Regionality – only 23% of inbound business travel occurs to London – the equivalent figure for leisure travel is 42% (IPS)
1. Why Now?
· 2012 has brought unprecedented interest in Britain – from summer 2008 till 2012 and beyond the international spotlight will be on Britain
· Maximise benefits of games – VisitBritain must ensure that historical upwards trends in business tourism seen in Barcelona, Sydney and Athens are fully exploited. As an industry, we cannot sit back and expect the business to roll in – there is too much international competition for that luxury
· Work has to start immediately to ensure legacy beyond 2012 starting with the full exploitation of the many test events leading up to 2012 that are coming to Britain.
· To maximise the impact of the growing assets / infra-structure developments around 2012 - `be the first to see’
· To take advantage of the real appetite within the destinations of Britain to focus more on the events sector.
2. Current Britain Approach
There exists considerable investment and excellence in the industry for the events sector. There are dedicated and expert events teams at national, regional and city level as well as RDAs investing in an events agency all focusing on business or sports events.
It is eventBritain’s core objective to support all partners in the industry.
eventBritain will learn from and build partnership with the industry partners to add maximum value to each bid as required.
· Best prospects – UK Sport will be leading on the major Olympic Sports so VB could partner with regional bodies to focus on small/medium sized events that are outside the UK Sport’s remit. There will be a focus on events fulfilling VisitBritain’s larger remit to increase regionality and seasonality.
· Brand – is currently heavily focused on leisure travel and hence often irrelevant to all events sectors. Therefore eventBritain will work with partners to lead on developing the Britain/Olympic brand to best target the events audience
· Evaluation – there are several impact studies available but all with differing parameters/objectives – there is no definitive approach/study on impact analysis. eventBritain will commission a nationwide economic impact study as well as hold/pool all available research up to date.
· Government support – there is a growing awareness of the economic impact of events and eventBritain will be at the forefront of ensuring that the events market is given the focus and attention it needs from Government.
3. What is eventBritain’s role – where can it add best value?
eventBritain is developing a suite of services and functions that add value to the bidding for or marketing of events. eventBritain recognises that there exists much competition within the UK events industry and sees its role to not to negate this competition, but to ensure that events that could be placed with overseas competitors are placed in Britain. In addition eventBritain clearly recognises that not all organisations will require these services and they are proposed very much as a “pick and mix” to add best value to the winning of more events for Britain. eventBritain welcomes the excellence already existent in the UK events industry and encourages bidding partners to work through their local, regional and national partners.
Pre-bid
· eventBritain will commission in partner with the UK events industry, a national recognised economic / employment study that can be used to measure better the effect of events and as a lobbying vehicle to secure support. eventBritain will also deliver research into buying behaviours of event organisers in overseas territories to ensure a customer centric approach for bidding partners.
· Share eventBritain commissioned research to all industry partners to help them identify potential new events to target.
· Offer all our industry partners the opportunity to use VisitBritain’s on-territory resources to provide Key Account Management including site visits, collateral support
· Work with industry partners to give them invaluable customer research, volume and value studies.
· Create and deliver brand development of Britain as a business destination to add weight to any bid process/documentation.
· Utilising the expertise within the industry and through its overseas footprint, to offer guidance on global best practise bidding to partners.
· eventBritain will develop Britain branded support materials that demonstrate Britain’s core values of depth, heart and vitality. In 2008 these materials may also benefit from the inclusion of new Britain branding, leveraging the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These will include moving images, static images, all Britain itineraries (pre and post event), print, VAT reclaim information etc.
· Increase DCMS and wider governmental understanding of importance of events
· Working with our partners in EnglandNet, eventBritain can access information from the national tourism product database, providing information to support bids in terms of information on Quality Assured accommodation within a radius of bid venues.
Bid
· On invitation or request of partners eventBritain can offer comprehensive on territory key account management through bid process including face-to-face presentations, bid documents, value added features to support destination. In addition, it may sometimes be of benefit to have VisitBritain present the bid with you to give it an air of authentication and “government” support and to adapt the bid for local presentation (social mores etc).
· Working with DCMS and other government department, and subject to certain criteria, eventBritain will secure letters of support (from national politicians, from VisitBritain’s Chairman and CEO and even in some cases from a member of the Royal family), as well as endeavouring to secure attendance at relevant events.
Marketing
· eventBritain can optimise the marketing opportunity for a destination partner of hosting event with on-territory marketing of new Olympic/business brand using established delivery tools - CRM, PR and webs presence as relevant.
· Delegates and attendees at events often purchase tourism product only when they arrive in Britain compounding the perception of Britain as an expensive destination. Working with the Business Development department in London, eventBritain can secure exclusive products overseas (such as Oyster© cards and point to point rail tickets) and negotiate preferential rates for attendees at events.
· eventBritain can utilise on-territory contact centres to provide advisory support for potential visitors.
· eventBritain can re-use ministerial support for promotion of event to potential attendees / delegates
Event
· eventBritain to work with DCMS to secure relevant minister to open/attend event
· Active participation in any event where suitable
Post Event
· eventBritain can offer a measurement of success through the development of new economic impact survey
· Secure testimonials / advocacy for future
· Deliver feedback to DCMS / minister to develop goodwill/foundation for continuing govt support
· Learn from event to develop global best practise guidelines to support UK industry
· Continue to build calendar of existing and future events
Will eventBritain be bidding for events itself?
No – eventBritain will support the bids of our partners where asked to do so.
4. Key Priority
· Ongoing consultation with industry partners including UK Sport, UKTI, EventScotland, Events for London, the RDA, destinations and venues etc to discuss strategy and identify real gaps where eventBritain can add real value to winning more business for Britain.
5. Next Steps
· Develop a communications/PR strategy for UK events sector to ensure industry understanding of eventBritain strategy and associated buy-in
· Development of key criteria for support
· Development of bid support materials (including the development of a new eventBritain website)
· Commission, with input from regional partners, an economic impact study to give a national prospective on definitive economic gains form events
The newly established eventBritain team has one core objective – to work with UK industry partners to support and market any bids they make for sporting, business and cultural events.
