Each year VisitBritain sponsors additional questions in the International Passenger Survey.   One of these questions provides a breakdown of business visits into more detailed categories, namely ‘Trade Fair/Exhibition’, ‘Conference/Large Meeting’ and ‘Other’.  The links below allow you to view and analyse visits, nights, and spend data for these business sub-categories.

Business Tourism Sub-Groups 2007

This Excel file, in the form of a pivot-table, provides information on visits, visitor nights and visitor spending for these business visit sub-categories in terms of key International Passenger Survey variables.

Trends in business visit sub-categories since 1993

This Excel files provides trend information from 1993 onwards in the number of visits, nights and visitor spending by business visit sub-category

Activities undertaken by business visitors 2007
Activities undertaken by business visitors 2006

These Excel files, in the form of a pivot-table, provide information on how many business visitors actually participated in various activities when they came to the UK.  Data covered includes business sub-group, travelling group, age, gender, length of stay, purpose of visit, quarter, and country of residence.  Data can be viewed in percentage or absolute terms.  Different activities were asked about in 2006 and 2007 so check both files to find the activity you're looking for!

Brief guide to Excel-pivot tables

Pivot-tables are really easy to use, and enable you to cut the data in a way that suits you.   If you are unfamiliar with how to use this Excel tool take a look at this brief guide.