Ricoh Arena goes head to head with NEC for Exhibition Venue of the Year

COVENTRY’S Ricoh Arena has been shortlisted for a national award showcasing venues in the Exhibitions sector.

The arena is competing against Midlands rival The NEC and London’s ExCel for the title Exhibition Venue of the Year in this year’s Event Awards.

Sector experts believe the industry has undergone considerable growth in the last 12 months, a trend supported by the Ricoh, which has hosted 638 business events and increased its exhibition business by 50% in the qualifying period.

The Engineering Design & Electronics Design Show, Kidz in the Middle and the Trade Only National Show were highlighted by the Ricoh Arena during the nomination process for the Event Awards.

Liz Cooper, marketing director at the Ricoh Arena, said the three shows highlighted the adaptability and flexibility of the Midlands venue.

“We have been successful in two stages of judging to go through to the final of the Exhibition Venue of the Year category,” she said.

“The combination of our location and state-of-the-art facilities is instrumental in winning new exhibition business and retaining existing clients, and the shortlisting emphasises how we can also help organisers grow their exhibitions.”

The Engineering Design & Electronics Design Show tripled in size last year and visitor numbers rose from 1,500 in 2012 to 4,000 last year as the Electronics Design Show ran alongside the Engineering Design Show for the first time.

The arena supported the event by investing in a new Wi-Fi system which accommodated up to 4,500 people visiting the show, while the adjoining G Casino was used for a post-event networking session.

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony, which takes place at The Troxy in London on October 2.