Lancashire pulls in more business visitors

CONFERENCE and meeting venues across Lancashire and Blackpool attracted 3.7 million business visitors in 2010.

The 6% increase, up from 3.45 million in 2009, followed a national campaign to promote the area by Lancashire & Blackpool Conferences & Meetings (LBCM), a joint initiative between Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board (LBTB) and VisitBlackpool.

Among the destinations that enjoyed a strong year were Pleasure Beach Blackpool, which saw a 10% increase in conference business in 2010, and the Best Western Premier Leyland Hotel which recorded 12% growth in conference sales. Alston Hall near Preston reported a 28% rise in corporate income.

Tony Openshaw, director of Marketing at LBTB, said: “2010 proved a strong year for business tourism in Lancashire and Blackpool and as these figures show the sector is making a major contribution to the economy of the sub-region.

“As we are getting the message across that this is a fantastic area to hold meetings and conferences to more and more decision makers we are seeing the benefits in terms of increased business and growing numbers of meetings and delegates.