Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Pavilion

Bournemouth Makes Waves at Event UK During National Meetings Week

The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Bournemouth International Conference Bureau (BICB) made waves at Event UK last week at the NEC in Birmingham. Event UK, which took place from Tuesday 16th to Wednesday 17th September, is an exhibition aimed at the meetings industry and brought together destinations, venues, suppliers and event organisers all under one roof. Of the 350 exhibitors, the venues on show were promoting their flexibility for events from meetings, conferences, exhibitions to product launches, awards and charity events.

The South Coast’s largest venue, the BIC, and Bournemouth’s conference bureau, the BICB, teamed up to promote the town to the meetings industry at Event UK. It took place during National Meetings Week; the annual awareness week which aims to raise the profile of the UK meetings and events industry to the wider business market. The UK meetings industry is valued at £22 billion-a-year and supports 1.78 million jobs.

The Bournemouth stand at Event UK stood out with its surf inspired theme, in honour of the £2.6m scheme for Europe’s first artificial surf reef, which is currently under construction in Bournemouth. The BICB secured 16 leads and has booked 3 client site visits. Karina Gregory, BICB Manager said: “The contacts we made at Event UK were really positive and will bring more business to Bournemouth. A major reason for exhibiting at Event UK was to raise awareness of Bournemouth as a business destination. Visitors were impressed to hear about the airport developments, the surf reef and air festival.”

The BIC received 12 leads, 8 of which they will be submitting proposals for and 2 of which have since booked site visits to look at the venue and around Bournemouth. Lisa Ashurst, Conference and Exhibitions Sales Manager at the BIC said: “Buyers at Event UK really got on board with our surf theme stand and came over for an informal chat about what Bournemouth and the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) has to offer. The quality of visitors over the two days worked to our benefit as Bournemouth venues, including the BIC, have vast experience working within the main meetings sectors - agencies, corporates, associations and incentive groups.

“Our team rode the waves of success at Event UK – seeing old faces, making new introductions and taking some great enquiries. Our promotional material, right down to the VW Camper Van giveaways, was also in huge demand!”

The BIC is a leading UK conference venue which plays host to the major political parties and national associations, providing an estimated £73m per year into Bournemouth’s economy. The BICB represents over 90 local meeting venues and suppliers, contributing towards the work non-member hotels and other venues in Bournemouth do to bring business events to Bournemouth; a figure which is values at £54.5m per year. Bournemouth’s overall meetings industry is valued at £127.6m per year.

The stand competition - to win an incentive themed weekend trip for two to Bournemouth, including hotel stay, a meal, tickets for a show and surf lessons – saw nearly 50 entries. The winner will be informed shortly.

Gregory added: “Our destination themed stand really turned heads at Event UK. We won Best Stand, Space Only at International Confex earlier this year with a similar design so credit goes to our sales and marketing team who came up with the concept.”