The Summer Eventia, one of the events industry’s foremost annual events staged by the trade body Eventia, will be held at The Lowry Hotel, Manchester from 6-8 July 2008.

It will feature an exciting mix of keynote presentations, topical discussions and interactive workshops, along with a number of excellent motivational and networking activities.

The Conference’s opening keynote address will be delivered by Roger Martin-Fagg, Client Director at the School of Growth, Innovation and Enterprise, Henley Management College.

An expert in macroeconomics, strategy and business acumen, he will reveal whether the UK economy is moving towards a soft landing, a recession or a full-blown depression.

In providing an economic outlook for the next three years, Roger Martin-Fagg will enable delegates to understand its likely impact on their business.

Former Chairman and CEO of Euro RSCG Skybridge, and Founding Partner of sales and communications agency AddingValue, Randle Stonier is a long-time champion of the events education space.

In his keynote address, Stonier will challenge industry colleagues and university educators alike to join forces in setting the essential educational benchmarks that will produce a smart and skilled new generation of events professionals.

Another session will reveal how the live medium is gaining currency in consumer marketing. Corporates are increasingly turning to experiential events in their search for the most compelling and effective ways of connecting with consumers – providing an opportunity for creative events agencies to broaden their offering.

The conference will include its very own ‘Room 101’ session, in which some of the industry’s leading personalities will divulge the pet hates that ruin their working day.

Workshops sessions will cover a range of hot topics including risk assessment and crisis management, ROI, corporate social responsibility (CSR), developments in technology, the role and services of destination convention bureaux, and much more besides. A panel discussion involving corporate clients, agencies and a global hotel chain will explore the future of our industry.

The Conference will include participation by the National Tourist Office collaboration ‘Where The World Is Your Oyster’. For the third year running, these National Tourist Offices have grouped together to produce a marketing initiative aimed at event organisers. They will be promoting their countries’ attractions though a series of one-to-one appointments with hosted buyers.

Another innovative feature of The Summer Eventia will be a private train to enable delegates travelling from London and Milton Keynes to journey in style to Manchester, for a nominal cost of £25. The train will be returning on Tuesday afternoon 8^th July, delivering delegates back to London Euston and Milton Keynes.

Eventia’s Executive Director, Izania Downie, commented: “Once again we’ll be taking the pulse of our industry. We are living in interesting times and our speakers – together with our audience – will identify the trends that will shape the way we do business in the medium and longer term.”

The full event programme will be announced shortly and booking details will be available on www.eventia.org.uk