VisitBritain’s programme supporting Britain’s international events industry has resulted in a boost to the economy of £45.5m, with 62 business events supported in 18 cities across the nations and regions.
The VisitBritain Business Events Growth Programme for the 2018-2023 financial years showed that every pound invested in the programme resulted £33 of revenue being generated for the British economy through new events secured, or in additional delegate spend during this five-year period.
In the financial year 2022-2023, the programme supported a record 27 business events across 14 cities, almost double the number of events in cities supported in 2019-2020.
These events aligned with priority sectors for the UK Government including healthcare and life sciences, technology and innovation, energy transition and environment, advanced manufacturing and education.
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “These results are testament to the importance of our Business Events Growth Programme, both to the industry and to the economy. The evaluation results demonstrate year-on-year growth in business events secured or grown for our cities through the programme.”
Since 2022, applicants to the Business Events Growth Programme have been asked to include initiatives of sustainability policies in their event planning. The initiatives included community engagement programmes, new research and development projects, regional and national cultural promotion, reduction in waste policies and investment in British startups.
Marketing Sheffield manager Emma France said: “Without BEGP support, the International Association of Maker Spaces would not have been so successful bringing its international delegates to Sheffield after hosting it in the US for so long.”
Head of Glasgow Convention Bureau Aileen Crawford said: “The support from the Programme allows us to broaden the global reach of Glasgow and the UK as a successful Business Events destinations to more world leading researchers, academics and industry leaders.”
VisitBritain forecasts continued expansion for the Business Events Growth Programme in the financial years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 by elevating a further 63 potential or confirmed events across 12 British cities.
