Travel trade body to stage annual convention in North West

Travel trade association, UKinbound, has awarded Manchester the bid to host its 2021 annual convention.

Manchester 2021 will take place in early February at The Midland Hotel over two days and will feature many of the successful components of previous UKinbound conventions.

A large proportion of the association’s 400-strong member base is expected to converge on the city, which will include tour operators and trade buyers from across Manchester’s key international visitor markets.

The event schedule will feature topical industry debates, a keynote speaker address, b2b workshops and an evening networking dinner.

Supported by Marketing Manchester, UKinbound will also coordinate a range of familiarisation trips for delegates, allowing them to experience the city’s diverse tourism offering, while aiding the development of key relationships between buyers and local industry,

Joss Croft, UKinbound chief executive, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working with Marketing Manchester and delighted to be hosting our 2021 convention in the city.

“Its bid was superb and demonstrated a keen desire to engage with the travel trade and roll out a safe and successful event.

“Our dynamic working relationship will ensure we can provide an array of commercial and networking opportunities for our delegates, while also showcasing Manchester’s exceptional visitor offering.”

Sheona Southern, managing director of Marketing Manchester, said: “We are delighted that Manchester has been selected as the host city for UKinbound’s 2021 annual convention, which will bring influential delegates from the tourism industry into the city.

“We have worked closely with UKinbound over many years to encourage visitors to Greater Manchester, and this will be an opportunity for us to showcase the best of our city region’s accommodation, attractions, and hospitality to tour operators and travel experts to increase future demand in our region.”

She added: “This convention is particularly important to Greater Manchester as we begin to rebuild the tourism and hospitality industry following the impact of coronavirus, and we look forward to welcoming delegates to explore Manchester in 2021.”