Confidence about 2005 prospects amongst Britain’s conference, exhibition and incentive travel organisers is likely to see business tourism receipts grow by up to £1 billion in 2005.

This was the upbeat message conveyed by Michael Hirst, Chairman of the Business Tourism Partnership at The Tourism Society’s annual Prospects meeting in London yesterday.

The year is characterised by a very full government calendar of high level meetings and conferences. Starting with the visit of the International Olympic Committee in February, London would also host the Middle East Conference in March. In July the G8 Summit is to be held at Gleneagles, attracting some 5,000 delegates and observers. In the second half of the year, the UK’s Presidency of the European Union will also initiate a series of events and meetings, as will the probable General Election in late Spring.

When last researched, government events accounted for around 25% of all UK conferences and meetings and this could well be exceeded in 2005.

In a recent poll of event planners, 62% said 2005 will be a solid year of growth, whilst 56% reported current demand for attendance at association meetings to be well up on last year. Scotland is enjoying excellent success with 38% of all international association meetings in the UK taking place there, with Edinburgh being rated top UK destination.

Incentive travel operators also report strong prospects. 86% expressed optimism about 2005. The Tsunami disaster is likely to divert some incentive travel programmes to Europe.

Michael Hirst said, “Demand for meetings and exhibitions is being boosted by a very competitive economy”. He noted that one third of all meetings were related to corporate training and this was set to rise further as companies, encouraged by government, sought greater skills, efficiencies and added productivity.

Over the last ten years business visits to Britain have grown by 53% and now represent 30%

of total inbound tourism. Conference and incentive travel segments are predicted to grow at a faster rate than any other tourism sector.

The buoyancy in the sector is being match by investment with some £10 billion being spent across the Country on new venues and extensions to existing facilities.

Michael Hirst commented, “With such strong prospects for 2005, it makes sense to allocate a higher proportion of tourism support to promote Britain as a competitive world class destination for conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel programmes and so attract even more high spending business travellers”.