Business tourism generates £573m for Manchester
CONFERENCES and business tourism generated £573m for Manchester’s economy during 2009 according to a study carried out by Manchester’s tourist board.
The figure represents the income to businesses in Greater Manchester from the 4.2 million delegates that came to the city and the 56,900 business events they were attending. Of those delegates two million stayed overnight.
Researchers from Team Tourism Consulting surveyed conference venue managers and found that corporate business events accounted for 55% of the industry.
Government or public sector events which were responsible for 32%, while national and international association conferences accounted for 13%.
Paul Simpson, managing director of tourist board Visit Manchester said: “The study shows just how big a contribution the city’s conference and business tourism sector makes to the local economy.”
He added: “There have been major developments in Greater Manchester’s conference product over recent years, in terms of developing the infrastructure and support services that organisers expect of a world class conference destination and we’re confident the city region will continue to generate a significant economic benefit from this sector in the future.”
Nick Brooks-Sykes, director of tourism at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), which funded the survey, said: “The contribution of business and conference events to the regional visitor economy cannot be underestimated. Business tourism is active throughout the year and presents a number of wider economic benefits, such as increased visitor spend and high-value return visits.”
Manchester’s profile as a conference centre has grown significantly in recent years and it is now a regular location for the major political conferences. Last month it hosted the Trades Union Congress and the Labour Party conference.
