Business Events Activities

Every year we organise events and exhibit at trade fairs to build the knowledge of Britain and England among key influencers and buyers. Discover some of the highlights from our recent activity and what we are planning for the future.

2022-23 activities

The business event teams of our nations will be organising a series of opportunities for destination partners across 2022/3 to meet and engage with corporate, incentive house/agency and international association organisers from key global territories.

The aim is to provide high-impact activities in which to showcase your destination and product, and generate new business event enquiries.

Please find out below where you will find our team and nation partners: MeetEngland, Meet in Wales, Visit Scotland Business Events.

Past activities

Find out what we got up to at IMEX Frankfurt 2022

We returned to IMEX Frankfurt at the end of May for the first time since 2019 representing MeetEngland. We were joined by 12 English partners on the stand from destination management organisations, large event venues and hotels.

Alongside the trade show activity, the team continued their successful partnership with a hosted MeetEngland evening event with the European Association of Event Executives (ESAE). Attendees included our English cities and stand partners, ESAE leadership, international associations such as Association of Corporate Treasurers, MCI Global, and the Boardroom Magazine editorial team. In addition we welcomed the CEOs from other key industry associations such as, the International Congress and Convention Association and International Association of Professional Event Organisers.

VisitBritain Hosts Virtual Business Events Showcase ‘MeetGB Virtual’  

We are delighted share that MeetGB Virtual went ahead with great success on 15-17 February 2022. MeetGB is our annual flagship meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) event, which this year is hosted as a virtual educational event.

In proud partnership with MeetEngland, VisitScotland Business Events, Meet in Wales, Tourism Northern Ireland and London Convention Bureau, MeetGB Virtual has been an opportunity for organisers of international events to discover the possibilities available across the UK business events industry.

With 74 virtual booths and 119 suppliers, 775 meetings were scheduled across 2 days. 233 buyers from Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, UK – event agencies, corporates, associations, venue finders, group bookers - registered and attended the event.

See how we got on at IBTM World 2021

From 30 November to 2 December, we proudly took part in IBTM World – the first face-to-face major tradeshow to take place in Europe since the pandemic. The show, which took place in Barcelona, was attended by over 7,000 event professionals, with a total of 30,000 pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings taking place across the three days.

We exhibited alongside London & Partners, welcoming 14 partners on our dedicated stand.

In collaboration with the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE), we also hosted a dinner with association executives representing prominent European and international organisations. Six England destinations were invited, together with 18 members of ESAE and Association Executives guests.

Making new connections at IMEX America 2021

We held 50 1-2-1 meetings with meeting and event planners at this year’s IMEX America which took place at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas from 9-11 November.

There were a total of 3,420 buyers at IMEX America this year. The total number of participants including exhibitors was 8,605 (all fully vaccinated). Overall there were 50,000 appointments at this significant MICE tradeshow. Many networking opportunities were also offered in addition to the full three days of trade show meetings. 

MeetEngland new international recovery campaign: Events. Reimagined

MeetEngland has launched its new international recovery campaign for business events! With significant upheavel in the events industry, the new ‘Events Reimagined’ campaign is helping international meeting and event planners reimagine the future of events in England, and how the country is creatively adapting to the new normal in business events and incentives. The campaign includes a new brand video, you can watch it here.

MeetEngland partners with Event Manager Blog to host webinar on mental health in a crisis

On 31 March 2020, MeetEngland partnered with Event Manager Blog (part of Skift) to host a webinar on how event professionals can preserve mental health in a time of crisis, in recognition of the impact COVID-19 is having on the events industry.

Over 600 international event professionals attended the webinar, far exceeding expectations and providing a high number of sales leads for the team. The webinar included speakers from MeetEngland, including Leila Heller and the UK mental health organisation EventWell.

Watch the full webinar.

MeetGB China hosts over 600 one to one business meetings

27 meeting and incentive suppliers from across the UK attended our inaugural MeetGB China event on 28 September where over 600 one to one business meetings with Chinese buyers took place.

The event was preceded by educational trips around the UK for the Chinese buyers who visited leading China- ready attractions, venues and destinations for the incentives and meetings sector.