UKEVENTS offers a cautious welcome to the Government’s Spending Review, recognising several encouraging developments, particularly for sport and regional growth. However, significant opportunities for the wider events sector remain overlooked.
Key points from our response:
- Positive signals for sport: Investment in major sporting events is welcome. These events rely heavily on the expertise of professional event organisers and event equipment suppliers.
- Conferences and meetings: Increased funding for science and health is positive, as these sectors account for a large proportion of the UK’s business events and whose output is showcased at conferences and tradeshows.
- Untapped potential: There is broader opportunity within the events sector that is yet to be fully recognised to grow the creative industries and visitor economy and be more fully aligned to the forthcoming industrial strategy.
- Regional growth: Events can play a pivotal role in delivering the Government’s levelling-up agenda through jobs, tourism and regeneration.
- Connectivity: Pleased to see plans for better transport and digital infrastructure which will also support event activity across the UK.
- Cross-sector opportunity: Business activity and cultural programming often sit alongside sporting events, amplifying economic and social returns.
- Creative Industries Growth Programme: We were among the early consultees but have yet to see the outcomes.
• Industrial Strategy: We await clarity from the forthcoming Industrial Strategy as to how business events can be better aligned to the priority industrial sectors. - Visitor Economy Growth Strategy: UKEVENTS is actively involved in the creation of the growth strategy, especially regarding boosting international visits and regional tourism activity, where events should be a main driver of growth.
- DCMS collaboration: We are pleased that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport remains in place. We urge closer collaboration through the creative, cultural and visitor economy frameworks.
Our main ask:
We strongly encourage the DCMS to significantly increase funding to the VisitBritain Business Events Growth Programme, which currently delivers an outstanding return of £33 for every £1 invested.
Glenn Bowdin, Chair calls for the Government to work with UKEVENTS to forming a National Events Strategy. He said: “While the Government has recognised the success of events, this has largely been framed through the lens of sport. Sport may be the visible tip of the iceberg, but the wider events industry, spanning culture, business, education and innovation, deserves equal strategic recognition.
“A National Events Strategy is long overdue. It’s time for the Government to cast the net wider and unlock the full potential of the UK’s event sector.”
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About UKEVENTS
UKEVENTS is the recognised and collective voice of our world leading events industry, which represents every part of a diverse, creative and dynamic sector across the whole of the UK and champions the economic, societal and transformational value of events. UKEVENTS’, formerly the Business Visits and Events Partnership’s (BVEP), role is to support the work of our partners to help create a strong and growing events industry.
This industry comprises many diverse and individual sectors, covering meetings, conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, incentive travel, event hospitality, ceremonies, sporting, cultural, outdoor and festivals as well as other services provided by the wider supply chain. Partners UKEVENTS exists to represent the interests of its partners, their members and the wider UK events industry.
We are proud to represent the following organisations:
• ABPCO - Association of British Professional Conference Organisers
• AEME - Association for Events Management Education
• Beam
• BTA - Business Travel Association
• Core Cities
• EIA - Events Industry Alliance (AEO, AEV, ESSA)
• EIF - Events Industry Forum
• EVCOM - Event & Visual Communications Association
• London & Partners
• MIA - Meetings Industry Association
• NCASS – Nationwide Caterers Association
• NOEA - National Outdoor Events Association
• PLASA - Professional Lighting and Sound Association
• PSA - Production Services Association
• TNI - Tourism Northern Ireland
• UVL - Unique Venues of London
• VisitBritain
• VisitScotland Business Events
• Visit Wales
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