Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Pavilion

Beach Huts Make Bournemouth STAND OUT At Confex

It’s Beach Hut inspired stand at International Confex really made Bournemouth stand out this year, and meant it won Best Stand in the UK venues and destinations section.

The stand is based on a tongue in cheek beach hut theme that ties in with Bournemouth’s marketing campaign for this year; it plays on the idea that rather than using a beach hut, ‘there’s an easier way to have your meeting by the beach’, be it at the BIC or one of the many other suitable hotels or venues in Bournemouth, facilitated by the Bournemouth International Conference Bureau.

Clive Tyers, Head of Conferences, Exhibitions and Events at the BIC said: “We know how great Bournemouth is as a destination for business visitors and we wanted to get this message across in a fun way – we had real lemonade and New Forest Ice Cream to enjoy with clients new and old.”

It is the third time that the BIC has won this particular award, having won it in 2008 and 2005, as well as winning Best Stand in Show in 2005 with a construction inspired theme based on the £22m redevelopment that the BIC was undergoing at the time.

Clive Tyers adds: “To win this award for the third time is a real accolade. There’s lots of competition out there for the business tourism sector and although Bournemouth has a very special offer, we have to be creative to stand out. This year, we took inspiration from Boscombe’s HemmingwayDesign Beach Pods, although our stand represented the more traditional beach huts associated with Bournemouth. We were definitely a big centre of attention at the show, confirmed by the award with which we’re delighted, especially as we beat big cities Manchester and Nottingham to take the prize.”

Also on offer at the Bournemouth stand was the chance to win a trip to Bournemouth, including the use of one of Boscombe’s HemmingwayDesign Beach Pods, surf lessons, tickets to a show at the BIC, dinner and accommodation.

Each year, as part of the ongoing promotional campaign to bring business to Bournemouth, and helping to boost the town’s economy by an estimated £115 million, the BIC and BICB attend many industry events. At International Confex - the industry’s largest trade event - the Bournemouth presence is as a stand shared by the BIC and BICB as a destination promotion for all types of business events, alongside competitors including Harrogate, Brighton, Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester.