BVEP Connections Summer 2016 July 2016 | Page 14

FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW

EVENT INDUSTRY LEADERS GATHER AT FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL

From left to right : Michael Hirst , OBE - deputy chair of the UK Events Industry Board and chair of the BVEP , Michael Watton - venue director at Farnborough International , Chris Foy - head of business visits & events for VisitBritain , Chris Skeith - CEO of the Association of Event Organisers and James Heappey MP - MP for Wells and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events
Event industry leaders gathered on the 12th July to experience and celebrate one of Britain ’ s most successful major events - the Farnborough International Airshow 2016 .
In attendance were representatives from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events , VistBritain , the UK Events Industry Board , UK Trade & Industry , the Business Visits & Events Partnership , the Events Industry Alliance , VisitEngland , the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events , the International Live Events Association , London & Partners and MPI UK & Ireland Chapter .
Held at the venue since 1948 , the Farnborough International Airshow takes place every two years and attracts up to 200,000 visitors over the five trade days and public weekend . In 2014 , the show saw over
$ 200 billion of aircraft and engine orders announced .
During the event , guests were also briefed on the new Hall 1 facility which is due to open in 2018 . The purpose-built space will be flexible enough to cater for almost any kind of exhibition , conference , meeting , dinner or launch event thanks to 12,500sqm of exhibition space , 2,500 conference seats and 14 multiple purpose-built function rooms . Alongside its existing facilities , including the permanent 3,000 sqm Hall 5 , the new Hall 1 will make Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre the preeminent events venue in South East England .
The 2016 airshow will be the last ever event to utilise the current temporary Hall 1 facility , one of several temporary structures that the
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