The Business of Events will return this year after an
enforced two-year break.
The 2022 programme will kick off with the UK Policy Forum,
which is being held in partnership with the Department of Digital, Culture,
Media & Sport (DCMS) and VisitBritain.
Being held on 2 November at the QEII Centre in Westminster,
the Forum will see event destinations and venues from across the UK connect
with representatives from government departments, public sector organisations
and members of Parliament. The event will focus on how to move the UK business
events sector from a visitor economy model to a policy-led approach that has an
emphasis on using business events to achieve national, regional and local
policy objectives.
Patricia Yates, VisitBritain CEO said: “VisitBritain is
committed to supporting the recovery of business events and to growing this
valuable sector and we are delighted to again be partnering with The Business
of Events, supporting its exciting programme of work throughout 2022.
“The upcoming conference is one of several engagements we
have planned in the coming months with Government and industry stakeholders and
partners, our cities and business sector leaders, shining the spotlight on the
importance of business events across Britain.”
The second event in the series, held in partnership with the
All Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG) will be The Business of Events
Parliamentary Reception & Dinner. The event, which is by invitation only,
will take place in Westminster following the UK Policy Forum, and will see
senior leaders from across the UK events sector join government officials and
members of Parliament to discuss how to work together to create a more
successful and sustainable UK events economy.
Two reports will be published in 2022. The first, The
Business of Events: Global Report on International Planner Sentiment, will be
published in July, and report on research conducted into association, corporate
and agency planners in the UK, Europe and the US. The report will look at buyer
sentiment, post-pandemic, across twelve separate areas in each territory from
research conducted in May 2022.
The final activity of 2022 will see the publication of The
Business of Events: Global Destination Report. First published in 2021, the
report is an annual survey of the leading global business events destinations,
including NTO’s and CVB’s. The report, which will be free to download, can be
used to help shape future decision-making and influence governments and policymakers
on the benefits of a strong business events sector to both national and local
economies and society. The report is being developed in partnership with
VisitScotland Business Events and is due to be published in mid-November 2022.
You can view and download a copy of the 2022 Programme of
Activity here.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
