Conferences in Liverpool in 2013-14 are worth �100m to the region and the UK capital of pop and heartland of sport continues to draw major events, Paul Colston reports.
The people of Liverpool are fiercely proud of their city and it takes more than a few years of government budget battering to dent the local passion, a passion that has been re-channelled into the meetings arena in recent times.
The Liverpool Convention Bureau (LCB) has emerged with a new image and is first Mersey port of meetings call for organisers seeking venue advice.
LCB Manager Kate Currie tells CMW about current trends: “Association business is stable with the usual lead times although many now prefer to use one venue, or several nearby venues, rather than transport delegates between conference and gala dinner sites. Some smaller, local businesses prioritise in-house meetings rather than go off site.”
The Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) Liverpool has a list of major conference bookings and will add an exhibition centre and on-site hotel to its armoury in 2015.
ACC Liverpool claims to have attracted 3m visitors to 1,100 events and generated £620m in economic benefit for the local economy since its debut on 12 January 2008. Event highlights include the MTV Europe Music Awards, the MOBO Awards 2012 and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
ACC Liverpool has also hosted the Labour Party annual conference, BBC Worldwide Showcase and the Royal College of Nursing Congress.
