City highlights business tourism offer to international associates from HelmsBriscoe.
From September 22nd to 24th, more than 60 international attendees from HelmsBriscoe will hold their European conference at The Belfry Hotel & Resort, which recently underwent a £26million pound refurbishment. It will be the first time HelmsBriscoe has held its conference in the city.
The event will give the region a unique opportunity to show off its business tourism offer to delegates from the global leader in meetings procurement for corporate, association and government clients. HelmsBriscoe has more than 1,200 associates based in over 55 countries. They collectively placed 33,000 meetings and booked 4.6million room nights last year.
During their stay in Birmingham, delegates will enjoy a tour of the NEC and a look at the new £150 million integrated destination leisure complex Resorts World, which opens in 2015 – as well as enjoying dinner at Warwick Castle’s Kingmaker’s Medieval Banquet. Emma Gray, Director of Marketing Services at Marketing Birmingham, which operates the city’s business tourism programme Meet Birmingham, said: “Hosting HelmsBriscoe’s European Conference is a major coup for Birmingham. It is a priceless opportunity to showcase our popular facilities and attractions to some of the industry’s most influential professionals, so that they are inspired and encouraged to recommend the region as a meeting destination for their clients.
“Birmingham has been ranked as the preferred business tourism location outside London for five consecutive years by the British Meetings & Events Industry Survey. This conference will allow us to continue our ongoing work to highlight the region’s events offer to an international audience.”
Lynn Hood, Managing Director of The Belfry, added: “We’re delighted to welcome HelmsBriscoe to The Belfry for their European conference. With delegates attending from across the globe, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase The ‘new’ Belfry. We hope attendees find the time to balance business with pleasure and enjoy our world class leisure facilities whilst they are here.”
Founded in 1992, HelmsBriscoe is the highest volume purchaser in the meetings and event industry and boasts the most expansive and experienced network of Associates in the market. Shawn Pisani, Vice President, HelmsBriscoe, said: “As our European business grows in terms of team members and booking volume, this is a unique opportunity to introduce our associates to Birmingham as a destination – one that some of them might not currently be familiar with. First-hand experience in destinations such as Birmingham allows us to conduct venue searches on behalf of our clients with the highest level of confidence and ease.”
Maintaining its position as the top UK events destination outside London in the annual British Meetings & Events Industry Survey (BMEIS 2013/14), Birmingham remains a popular choice for national and international event professionals.
The city is preparing for one of its busiest years in over a decade with 15 in ’15 – 15 highlights of Birmingham’s busy calendar for 2015, which also includes the completion of the £600 million redevelopment of New Street Station, the £26 million refurbishment of live entertainment venue the National Indoor Arena, the opening of the new £127 million Midland Metro line in Birmingham city centre and next autumn’s Rugby World Cup, which comes to Villa Park, home of Aston Villa FC.
