Section 1: Getting started
What are business events?
Firstly, it’s important to differentiate between ‘Business Visits’ and ‘Business Events’ to ensure the terminology is correctly understood from the start.
Business Visits
This refers to individuals travelling for business reasons. This could be for a visit to an overseas office, sales visit or similar. Business visits also include delegates travelling for business purposes to attend conferences or exhibitions, but not all business visitors will be attending a meeting, incentive, conference or exhibition.
Business Events (often referred to as MICE)
MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) is a common term used globally. The sector is widely fragmented including a range of events varying in size, type and style. Some events are booked directly by the organiser; others employ the assistance of third parties to manage and co-ordinate their events. Some business events are closed to only employees of a particular company or members of an association or society, others might be open to any paying attendee.
The ecosystem is complex and as a result you may need to consider the type of business events your destination is best suited to hosting and ensure your marketing / sales activity is targeted accordingly. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for business events.
Types of business events
Meetings
These can be of various sizes and held for many different reasons. Smaller meetings may be organised internally by either a dedicated Event Manager or executive assistants or administrators. Sometimes, particularly with larger organisations, a third-party agency may be appointed to manage all of the company’s external meetings including venue finding.
Meetings and conferences are very similar but perhaps a meeting could generally be considered as a one-day event or shorter, often held in meeting rooms in hotels or bespoke facilities. Technology such as a large screen, AV and good Wi-Fi will be required including high spec hybrid capability for any remote attendees.
Examples of meetings: Board Meetings, Annual General Meetings (AGM), Strategic or Tactical Meetings. There may be more meetings held by remote organisations who use the time to bring their teams together where there is no physical office.
Incentives
Incentives are generally a reward or motivational corporate event which may incorporate team-building activities and/or luxury experiences. Usually booked via a third-party agency who will work alongside a locally based DMC specialising in this kind of business event. Often incentives have a high budget per head and expect a smooth, luxurious experience of high quality. Excellent food and service, five-star accommodation and unique experiences are the hallmarks of many incentives.
Conferences
Conferences are larger than a typical meeting and will generally last one day or more; likely to have a variety of speakers, breakout sessions and possibly some social events and exhibition. Conferences may use hotels, convention centres, unusual venues and may employ an Event Manager or a team internally to book and co-ordinate, particularly if the company organises many events per year.
The Event Management and/or Venue Finding/Accommodation booking and travel may be outsourced to a third-party agency/PCO. Often destinations/venues will have to bid to host conferences in their destination particularly for major international association conferences. Corporate meetings tend to use a third party to search for and source their venues/destinations.
Conferences may also need to bring in additional technology beyond what is provided by the venue, for example, a bespoke stage set, high quality screens, projectors, sound systems and lighting.
Exhibitions
These are often held in large purpose-built exhibition facilities or hotels with big event spaces. Suppliers purchase a space, or an exhibition stand from the organiser and use it to advertise their products / services and hold meetings. Attendees would be potential clients for the exhibitors. They could be trade focused (for example, specific trade event for medical supplies) or could be consumer focused (for example, The Good Food Show).
More detailed information about each of the market segments and their individual booking preferences can be found on the VisitBritain Learning and Development Hub.
The value of international business events
Business Events can be a lucrative market due to the increased spend per visitor when compared against the leisure visitor. The value of business events to the UK according to VisitBritain (source: International Passenger Survey 2024) is as follows:
Global perspective
Destinations around the world are competing for business events and the UK is an attractive option for many organisers. International business events can broadly be split into the following categories:
- International Association Congresses.
- International M&I (Meetings and Incentives for the Corporate sector).
- International Exhibitions.
When considering targeting global business events, your destination will need to ensure the right infrastructure, resources and budgets are in place to research, attract and deliver successful international events.
Again, it is not a one-size-fits-all approach; you need to be targeted in the markets your destination wishes to attract and have the infrastructure and resources in place to deliver successful events.
Similarly to leisure marketing, you will need to determine where you focus your efforts to attract new business events to your destination and the type of event that will ultimately have the more significant impact for you.
International association congresses
International Associations are very attractive to destinations as they often are multi-day events with high-spend delegates. They are organised by the association themselves, who may outsource the logistics to an agency or PCO (Professional Conference Organiser).
Attendees pay their own registration fees and hotel expenses (covered usually by their employer, for example, university / hospital). Members of associations are not mandated to attend the events although often there will be opportunities for CPD (continued professional development) which may be a requirement of their employment.
The organisers must ensure a robust programme of content and host events in attractive destinations that are affordable and easily accessible by plane / train in order to attract attendees.
They generally follow a similar booking process.
| Stage 1: An RFP (request for proposal) is issued by the association. It may be publicly available, or it may only be obtained by a member of the association (your ambassador). This will provide information on the practical side of the event — size of venue, preferred dates, number of attendees, hotel requirements and any city support required. Quite often you will need to bid anywhere between two to seven years in advance of the conference taking place. |
| Stage 2: A deadline will be in the RFP for those interested in hosting. They may stipulate that only the local association (for example, the British association) can submit a bid to host and they may also require that a locally based ambassador lead this. This is where having a robust ambassador programme or strong relationship with your universities or national associations will help to secure conferences. |
| Stage 3: Submit your written bid for consideration. Sometimes the decision is made by the association’s board or committees. Occasionally it may be put out to a vote by members of the association. |
| Stage 4: For larger associations, a short-list may be created and destinations invited to pitch to the board for a final decision; they may also conduct a site visit (which you will be expected to pay for). |
| Stage 5: Decision announced by the association and planning commences. |
One of the major databases for international associations is ICCA (International Conference and Convention Association). ICCA has just over 11,000 international associations on their database which is kept regularly updated. The UK ranked 5th in the Global ICCA Rankings 2024 which are based on the number of International Association Meetings held in a destination which meet three specific criteria:
- 50 delegates or more.
- Must rotate to different destinations (so not always held in the same city).
- Must take place regularly (for example, cannot be a one-off event).
You can only access the ICCA database of international associations if you are a member of ICCA.
International M&I (Meetings and Incentives — Corporate)
The international corporate market can be more complex. These events are organised and paid for by a company and the delegates are generally mandated to attend and their fees / travel expenses covered.
For example, a major corporation like Coca-Cola might organise an annual sales convention for its international sales directors. There generally isn’t a streamlined way to book and usually it is an outsourced agency who will manage these types of events. Corporates may choose to hold an event in a location where many of their staff are already based to save on travel costs. Others may choose a unique location for an incentive style event to encourage, motivate, inspire and reward their staff. The size of these events can vary enormously from very small, high-end luxury incentives to large-scale corporate sales meetings for thousands of delegates.
As it is generally an agency who will search for suitable destinations and venues, they will expect to take any commission income. The role of the business events team in your destination will be to:
- Promote the destination and its products to this market globally.
- Connect agents with venues, hotels, experiences locally and support with negotiation.
This market is highly lucrative for your partner venues, hotels and experience providers as often budgets are high. However, you are unlikely to generate commission income from this type of business event unless you agree to an arrangement in advance with the agency involved. Many destinations globally do not operate on a commission-based model so they will work effectively with agencies and corporates to attract them to their destination. You need to consider this when developing your destination’s own model for business events.
International exhibitions
The UFI Global Exhibition Barometer provides insights into the exhibition industry’s performance across various countries, including the UK. While it doesn’t assign specific global rankings, it offers detailed data on key metrics. As of the latest report published in August 2024, the UK’s exhibition industry has demonstrated significant growth across revenue growth, operational activity and profitability. These metrics highlight the UK’s strong performance within the global exhibition industry, reflecting a robust recovery and growth trajectory.
The measurement criteria for international exhibition statistics, as established by organisations like UFI and other industry bodies, focus on multiple key dimensions. These metrics ensure consistent, reliable, and comparable data across regions. Here are the main criteria:
- Exhibition size: Measure the total space used, including gross (all rented areas) and net (only exhibitor areas).
- Exhibitors: Count the number of participating companies, split into domestic and international.
- Visitors: Track the total number of attendees, focusing on unique visitors, and separate them by local vs. international.
- Revenue: Measure earnings from exhibitor fees, sponsorships, ticket sales, and indirect regional economic impact.
- Event details: Look at how often the event happens (for example, yearly), how long it lasts, and its focus (for example, technology, fashion).
- Global reach: Check how many countries are represented by exhibitors and visitors.
- Sustainability: Track sustainable practices, waste reduction, and diversity efforts.
- Visitor and exhibitor feedback: Use surveys to measure satisfaction, exhibitor ROI, and media coverage.
- Digital participation: Include stats from online attendance, hybrid events, and digital engagement.
- Certification: Check if the event meets global standards (e.g. UFI-approved) or follows certifications like ISO.
The UK is an attractive proposition for international exhibitions however the proximity of a major airport (transport hub) is essential as they are very focused on the number of visitors who come through their doors. The exhibition sector operates very differently from the other types of business event:
- Often organised by media organisations or entrepreneurs.
- Very focused on revenue.
- Expect subvention support for new events as they are risky to launch.
- Established trade exhibitions unlikely to move.
- Opportunities for regional trade exhibitions to launch.
- Great way to attract potential inward investment to your destination.
Exhibition organisers know if their event is attractive to destinations — for example if it is focused on a particular sector for example, Health Technology — they know that places want these exhibitors and visitors in their destination as it may support inward investment to their location. The organisers are aware of this and will therefore expect significant financial support from the destination to host their exhibition.
There are a number of B2B organisations who organise trade shows / exhibitions and many have European Headquarters here in the UK. This makes exhibitions a potential lead generator in itself for future MICE business.
National perspective
The domestic business events market is highly competitive. England boasts a wealth of incredible venues, locations and hotels across the whole country. Published June 2025, the latest UK Conference and Meetings Survey (UKAMS) reported:
- 2024 saw an estimated 1.08 million conferences and meetings in the UK.
- Estimated 95.4 million delegates accounting for approximately 144.8 million delegate days.
- Delegates to these events generated an estimated 19.3 billion of direct expenditure.
- 67% of business came from within the region of the venue. 28% from national planners. 5% from international planners.
- 57% of events comprised 50 delegates or fewer. Approximately 9% of events had more than 200 delegates.
- Average group size of 88 delegates.
Opportunities for national business events:
- UK associations and societies, e.g., The Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland; UK Stroke Association.
- UK political or trade union events, e.g., Labour Party Conference; UNISON Conference.
- UK-based corporate events, e.g., Automotive, financial or retail organisations annual managers conference or sales kick-off conference or franchise-based conferences.
- UK based charities, e.g., Cancer Research UK.
- UK small meetings sector, e.g., board meetings, c-suite level meetings, remote company strategy meetings.
- UK team building / staff engagement events.
- UK company incentives.
- Corporate wellness / retreats / away days.
- UK trade or consumer exhibitions targeting domestic audiences.
- UK Awards events / dinners.
- Corporate networking events.
Unlike ICCA, which is only focused on international association conferences that meet specific criteria, there is no definitive organisation who holds a complete database of all UK based organisations who run events. Building up a solid pipeline of potential business is a key part of developing your business events strategy and you may need to do this through a variety of channels such as local and national networks; attending trade shows and engaging with industry associations.
For databases, please see Section 7 which provides more detail on data including domestic databases that you can purchase (within GDPR guidelines). For sales and routes to different markets please see Section 5.
Why target business events
The Business of Events report published in October 2024 indicated that the corporate events market (comprising conferences, trade shows, exhibitions and product launches) were worth approximately
33.6 billion. Whilst the economic impact of events is an essential element in measuring and reporting the success of a business events strategy, there are other significant benefits to hosting business events in your destination.
Maximising intellectual capital:
- Attract inward investment to your destination by targeting the events from sectors that your destination is looking to grow. The attendees and exhibitors at conferences could be the looking for the opportunity to develop a new start-up or move their production / head office to a new location — it could be your destination.
- Promote and raise the profile of your destination’s existing sector strengths, such as a world leading centre for paediatric medicine, neuroscience or engineering which can lead to new collaborations and funding opportunities for research and development for academic institutions and businesses alike.
- Support knowledge transfer and international engagement by bringing together world-leading experts in specific sectors creating an exceptional environment for innovation. Could your destination be where life-changing innovations start to become a reality? Where collaborations are forged that could change the trajectory of human medicine. A cure for diabetes? Alzheimer’s?
- Provide opportunities to help solve problems in your destination by attracting conferences linked to areas of concern for your community or environment. For example, targeting paediatric dentistry conferences to help support a public health initiative locally to encourage better oral hygiene in children.
Economic growth and jobs
- High-spend delegates in your destination can encourage investment from hoteliers and hospitality businesses to grow the offer for business events and their delegates. It makes your destination a more attractive offer for future business events.
- Creation of jobs to support business events — organisers, agencies, AV companies and caterers. In addition to jobs in hotels, venues and other parts of the supply chain. This supports your local community and residents by creating opportunities for careers in events and hospitality with quality training and plentiful jobs.
- Turning business visitors into leisure visitors. Encouraging extended stays, promoting attractions and dispersal across a wider area keeps delegates interested in staying beyond the conference or returning at another time as a leisure visitor. The term ‘Bleisure’ refers to the increasing blurred lines between business and leisure visits with many conference attendees travelling earlier or staying after the conference has finished to enjoy some leisure time in the destination.
While specific statistics on the percentage of business delegates who return to a destination solely as leisure visitors are limited, Bleisure does have some insights. Bleisure Participation: In 2023, 66% of corporate travellers reported extending a business trip for leisure purposes. (Source Travelperk.)
England for business events
What makes England attractive to event organisers? There are many reasons why event organisers decide to host business events in England. This section will explore some of these and aims to inspire you to consider your destination’s unique selling points. Why should business event organisers select your destination for their next conference?
- Intellectual capital: England offers access to some of the world’s best businesses, academics, speakers and facilities. There are specific sector strengths that the government have identified as being of key importance to England. Each destination also has their own particular niche sector strengths. Try to identify where your destination strengths lie and use this to help develop your pipeline of potential events. For more information on sector strengths please visit the Learning and Development Hub at VisitBritain.org for further information.
- Accessibility: England boasts many international airports, a rail connection to Europe via Eurostar and a comprehensive rail network across the country. It is easy to get here from most major cities globally via direct flights (into London) and onward rail or flight internally.
- Safety & security: Global unrest, wars and terrorism affect perceptions of a destination’s safety. Business event organisers choose destinations where their delegates will be safe. England is seen as a safe option with a high score on the Global Peace Index (number 34th globally). The introduction of Martyn’s Law to protect attendees at events will further strengthen the country’s position on safety. See Section 9 for more information.
- Inclusivity: England is proud to be a diverse and welcoming country. Unlike other destinations, where LGBTQ+ rights are not recognised, England provides a safe place for all.
- Experience: The enormous variety of venues, heritage, culture from medieval castles to ultra-modern conference centres means that England offers something to suit all types of events at a range of budgets.
- Sustainability: English destinations are working hard to become more sustainable with 17 UK destinations participating in the GDI in 2024.
Destination infrastructure
Destination infrastructure
Destination infrastructure is crucial for the successful hosting of business events, encompassing key elements such as dedicated meeting venues, reliable transportation links, a variety of accommodation options, and modern digital capabilities.
These are the essential components that event organisers expect when considering the practicalities of hosting meetings and events in a destination.
A well-developed infrastructure ensures smooth event delivery, enhances attendee experiences, and positions a destination as a competitive option for organisers seeking efficient, accessible, and innovative solutions. How can you elevate your infrastructure to the next level? Where does your destination currently stand in terms of meeting these requirements?
It’s a good opportunity to review your destination’s existing infrastructure and identify where your strengths and gaps are. The guide below for ‘Essential’, ‘Established’ and ‘Advanced’ will help you understand your current positioning.
There may be developments in the pipeline in your destination such as a new convention facility or new hotels under construction. If you are planning your future as a potential business events destination, it’s important to engage with your planning department at the local council to understand your destination’s strategic plans for development in the future.
In addition, an active Convention Bureau or Business Events department within a destination offers added value by supporting City wide bids for major events. You have an opportunity to be a strong connector within your destination with a powerful network of stakeholders and influencers.
Venue Audit
It may be useful to conduct an audit of your venues so that you can better understand the business events offer in your destination.
This table shows a sample of information you might wish to collect and maintain on all your venues which will enable you to see what your destination can offer for business events. This could support you in planning and developing your business events strategy.
| Venue | Name Type of Venue, for example, Hotel/attraction/conf venue |
| Access | Miles to nearest airport Miles to nearest railway Number of onsite parking spaces Electric Vehicle Charging points Disabled parking spaces Distance to city centre |
| Facilities | Main Meeting Room Max. capacity, theatre style No. of meeting rooms Size of exhibition space Bedrooms onsite Bedrooms nearby Accessible access to meeting rooms Accessible access to bedrooms No. of accessible bedrooms Hybrid conference capability Banqueting capacity Quality of facility, for example, new build / modern Age of building, for example, heritage venue |
| Policies | Sustainability policy Inclusivity policy Accessibility policy |
Essentials
Your destination will need foundational infrastructure to meet the basic requirements of hosting business events. This includes a well-equipped convention or exhibition centre, or a similar venue (which could be located within a hotel or an alternative-purpose venue, such as a university). Reliable local transport links to major rail networks and an international airport (if considering international events) are essential, as well as a sufficient range of hotel accommodation in varying styles and price categories, close to the main event venues. Your destination must also offer accessible and inclusive facilities to support diverse participants.
Established
Your destination will have multiple venues with varied capacities, able to accommodate everything from small meetings to large conventions. Efficient public transport systems, such as local rail, trams and buses will make it easy to navigate your destination. A vibrant hospitality scene, featuring a range of restaurants, entertainment options, and networking spaces, will further enhance the experience. You have a strong, local business events supply chain including AV, catering, transport companies and PCOs enabling smooth and efficient processes for organising business events. You may also have a range of cultural / sporting venues that could be used for social events and gala dinners.
Advanced
At the advanced level, your destination will also have established itself as a global leader in hosting business events. You will offer cutting-edge facilities, including modern convention facilities with state-of-the-art technological capabilities, and fully hybrid-ready setups. Sustainability will be central, with green-certified venues and accommodation options. You will have capacity to host major congresses with multiple plenary, breakout and exhibition spaces under one roof or within close proximity to the main venue. You will have a broad range of accommodation from budget friendly to five-star luxury (often a requirement of some international conferences).