"With more than 100 stands confirmed, equating to approximately 400 separate exhibiting companies, The Meetings Show is already bigger year on year than 2013," confirmed Steve Knight, show director. "Even more exciting though is the fact that within days of opening hosted buyer registration is up 150% compared to last year, primarily driven by a 72% increase in the number of recruiting partners, who will ensure this growth continues."
The Meetings Show’s significant growth is occurring across all elements of the show:
- The 100 plus stands, which will include more than 400 exhibitors, are made up from a host of UK and international destinations, hotels, venues and other suppliers, making The Meetings Show the most comprehensive meetings focused event in the UK.
- The 150% increase in year on year hosted buyer numbers demonstrates the importance of The Meetings Show to the buyer market, and also includes a number of returning buyers, who clearly saw the value in their experience last year.
- To maintain this growth The Meetings Show has already achieved a 72% year-on-year increase in the number of hosted buyer recruiting partners, a figure that is set to increase even further over the coming weeks.
- Trade visitor numbers are expected to see a similar growth following the opening of registration last week.
Recently signed international exhibitors include: C-Hotels, Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Destination DC, Eurosis, Flanders, Innovation Norway, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Israel Government Tourist Office, Madrid Destino Cultura Turismo y Negocio SA, SANA Hotels, Star Hotels, Turisme de Barcelona, VISITBRUSSELS, Visit Denmark and Zagreb Tourist Board & Convention Bureau.
UK additions to the exhibitor line-up include: Aviator – a Hotel by TAG, Bath Tourism Plus, Brill Audio Visual, Brunel University, Cardiff Convention Bureau, Centium Software, Conference Torquay, Destination Bristol, Destination Wembley, Edinburgh Convention Bureau, Five at Farnborough, Keele University, Liverpool Convention Bureau, Millbrook Venues, Event & Hospitality QM, Reftech, SkyTeam, The Lensbury and Whittlebury Hall.
Lesley Williams, head of business tourism marketing of Edinburgh Convention Bureau, said: “As the UK’s leading destination for meetings and events outside London, we are constantly seeking new ways to promote Edinburgh’s offering and engage with potential customers. The Meeting Show proved a strong platform for us to demonstrate our world-class offering, generating enquiries valuing over £10 million in economic impact of which just under 50% have resulted in provisional bookings for our members. We look forward to building on that in 2014.”
These major new exhibitors join previously announced exhibitors including:
- International destinations: Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, Tourism Ireland, Korea Tourism Organisation, Malta Tourism Authority, Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Mexico, NYC & Company, Spain Convention Bureau, VisitSweden and Turkish Culture and Tourism Office.
- UK destinations: Liverpool, London & Partners, Marketing Manchester, NewcastleGateshead, Visit Belfast, Visit Brighton, Visit Essex and VisitScotland.
- Global hotels chains: Accor Hotels, Barcelo Gestion Hotelera SL, Dolce Hotels and Resorts, Four Pillars Hotels, Guoman and Thistle Hotels, H10 Hotels, Hilton Worldwide, Sandals Hotels and Beaches Resorts and Zacchera Hotels.
- Major conference and convention centres: ACC Liverpool, Barbican, Celtic Manor Resort and The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.
These core destinations, hotels and venues are supported by a wide variety of other venues such as Blenheim Palace, Church House Conference Centre, Chelsea Football Club, Conference Centres of Excellence, Friends House, ILEC Conference Centre, imago, King’s College London, Lingfield Park, No.11 Cavendish Square and The Wesley. Other industry suppliers include technology, insurance and AV companies as well as more than 50 DMCs represented through their UK offices.
Knight continued: "We are confident that by the end of March we will already be in the enviable position of having a show which will be bigger than last year in terms of both size and exhibitor numbers. As a leading market place, meeting place and education resource for the UK inbound and outbound meetings industry we are constantly looking for ways to grow and improve the show. Such a substantial increase in our core offerings – exhibitors and hosted buyers – with more than three months to go means we are on track to deliver a superb event in July."
Nick Brooks-Sykes, chief executive of Bath Tourism Plus, commented: "The Meetings Show, particularly the post event tour was a great success for Bath last year and we are looking forward to repeating that in July 2014. Bath is a historic city with a fantastic meeting, incentive and events offering, ideally suited to both the corporate and association markets. The Meetings Show provides the ideal opportunity to demonstrate the quality and uniqueness of our venues, leisure and hotel offering."
Visitor registration and hosted buyer applications are open at: www.meetingsshow.com.
The Meetings Show is a major event for the UK inbound and outbound meetings industry, organised by Centaur Exhibitions and taking place 8-10 July 2014 at Olympia, London. Organised by meeting professionals for meeting professionals it is focused around a large exhibition, networking opportunities and professional education.
