The meetings and events industry is to take an active role in the first Business Tourism Week in March 2007 to ensure the sector’s voice is heard loud and clear.
As well as being represented on the steering committee by Michael Hirst, OBE, of the Business Tourism Partnership, there will be a top level event during the week of March 12 for business leaders and politicians. 

This will specifically target the meetings and events sector which generates around 30 per cent of all UK tourism receipts, according to the Business Tourism Partnership.
The event will be organised by leading events industry bodies including the Meetings Industry Association, VisitBritain, The Event Industry Alliance, Visit London, Eventia and other partners and supporters of National Meetings Week which takes place later in the year. The event will be delivered by Eventia in partnership with other organisations in the events sector.

Joss Croft, head of VisitBritain’s Business Visits and Events department said: “We believe our sector is undervalued in many ways and it is imperative that we as a sector take advantage of this opportunity to shout our corner. Our sector delivers high spending visitors on a year-round basis with a broader ‘ripple-effect’ on the economy than other sector of tourism and that’s the message we need to get across.”

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been confirmed as Patron for this series of inter-related events, which aims to raise national awareness of the size, value and importance of Britain’s £74 billion visitor economy.

For further information go to www.britishtourismweek.co.uk  

Date: 19.12.06