UK Leisure Tourism set to capitalise on benefits from business visitors

BUSINESS TOURISM PARTNERSHIP PRESS RELEASE

UK Leisure Tourism Set To Capitalise On Benefits From Business Visitors

Cities and resorts in Britain could significantly increase their earnings from the conference and exhibition sector by persuading visiting delegates to extend their trips to the destination for leisure and recreational purposes.

This is one of the initial findings of ongoing research being carried out under the auspices of the Business Tourism Partnership, by Rob Davidson, Senior Lecturer in Business Tourism at the University of Westminster, with a working group drawn from professional event organisers, hotels, national and regional tourist boards, destination marketing consortia and convention bureaux – all organisations that can facilitate “business extenders” and greatly benefit from them.

The economic impact of business tourism goes far beyond what business visitors spend on attending meetings, conferences, exhibitions and incentive programmes. There is considerable additional income to be earned through:

1. Extending visits to the destination in order to enjoy the cultural/shopping/sightseeing attractions of the destination
2. Accompanying guests who engage in leisure tourism activities, often through an organised ‘guest programme’.
3. Networking events as part of a social and recreational programme.
4. Return visits, estimated to be as high as 40%, with spouses, families and friends for holidays and short breaks, as well as encouraging others to do so.

Research into these incremental benefits shows that although many in the tourism and hospitality sectors are aware of business visitors’ ability to generate additional revenue, the UK could do a lot better when it comes to maximising business visitor spend. In competitor countries additional expenditures from business visitors are estimated to be as much as 25%, whereas in the UK they are thought to be only 15%.

An example of the potential opportunity for increased earnings to leisure travel is that if an additional 10% of overseas conference and exhibition visitors were to extend their visit by 2 days, then an estimated additional £15 million would be earned on accommodation, food and drink, entertainment and shopping.

In publishing these initial findings, Rob Davidson comments “There has never been a better time than now for all sectors of the business tourism and hospitality industry to work together to persuade our business visitors to make the most of their trips by taking extra time to enjoy Britain’s rich abundance of attractions.”

Michael Hirst, Chairman of the Business Tourism Partnership says “Convincing conference delegates, trade show visitors and business travellers to combine business with pleasure is a win-win situation where everyone stands to gain – not least tourism and hospitality operators for whom this initiative represents an enormous potential boost in income from already high-spending visitors.”

The Business Tourism Partnership is to publish guidelines and highlight tried-and-tested examples of best practice – from the UK and abroad – on how UK tourism and hospitality businesses can turn more high-spending business visitors into highly profitable leisure tourists. It is expected that the report will be published in April 2002 and its findings are bound to further assist in the recovery of UK tourism.

Notes:
The Business Tourism Partnership consists of fifteen members representing the leading trade organisations and government bodies involved in meetings, conferences, exhibitions, incentive travel, corporate hospitality and individual business travel. It has the support of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Trade & Industry. Its primary objectives is to ensure the competitiveness of Britain in the international market through the provision of world-class facilities, training and service levels, better research and marketing effectiveness including the provision of integrated information.

The “Business Extenders’ Project is led by Rob Davidson, University of Westminster and includes participation by The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers, The Association of Exhibition Organisers, British Tourist Authority, English Tourism Council, Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley Tourist Board, The Hilton Group, London Tourist Board and Visitor Convention Bureau, Group and Marketing Manchester, North West Tourist Board, VisitScotland and Scottish Convention Bureau.

The value of Britain’s business tourism is estimated to be £15 billion with £6.6 billion arising from congresses and conferences; £1.8 billion from exhibitions and trade fairs; £165 million from incentive travel; £700 million from corporate hospitality and £6 billion from individual business travel.

For more information, contact Rob Davidson, tel. 020 7911 5000, ext 3076. mailto:[email protected]