Manchester Central adds £52m to Greater Manchester economy since April
The latest figures from Manchester Central show that business events are continuing to aid the economic recovery of the region.
In its latest quarterly update, the conference and events centre reported that delegate spend was up 33%, as visitors to events held at the venue spent £1.046m onsite and contributed more than £13m to the local economy between July and September 2022.
Since April, delegates have contributed a total £52.1m to Greater Manchester through expenditure at restaurants, bars, hotels and transport as a direct result of attending events.
The report also revealed that in the latest trading quarter, the venue welcomed 52,328 visitors to a range of national and international conferences, exhibitions and gala dinners including One Young World, The European Society for Clinical Virology, Northern Fashion Week and Professional Beauty North.
The results signal Manchester Central’s continued recovery post-COVID and its value to the wider city region.
Shaun Hinds, CEO at Manchester Central, said: “The figures we are seeing in our quarterly reports, including the significant increases in delegate spend per head, are comforting and demonstrate that there is a strong appetite for large events in the North West.
“Furthermore, with our total revenue up £1m year-to-date on pre-COVID figures, it is clear that we are rebuilding at a steady pace after nearly three years of unprecedented economic difficulties. These results will provide the events sector – and the region – with a quiet confidence in its recovery going forward.”
With more than 23,000 sq m of space and a capacity of in excess of 10,000, the city’s largest business events venue continues to showcase its breadth over the final quarter of the calendar year, hosting large scale events including the International Congress of the European Hernia society, Manchester Art Fair and last Friday’s Rugby League World Cup Wheelchair Final, which achieved a world record attendance for the sport.
In December, Vivid Experiences’ Christmas Party World will also return to the venue and is expected to welcome around 25,000 visitors.
