16
Big Interview
The business events industry
struggles with identity. In your view,
do politicians ‘get it’; has their
understanding changed?
This was my mission in parliament
when I started the All-Party
Parliamentary Group for Events. The
idea was a minister would go to an
event to experience the spectacle,
and it was our job to help them see
the industry and the sector behind it.
Because the industry is hugely
fragmented, we were often not heard
at the table. We have all these distant
parts but when you pull them
together we do actually have quite a
powerful punch. That was a key goal
and that’s why the UK Events Industry
Board (EIB) was born, and why the
Business Visits and Events
Partnership (BVEP) went out there
strongly making the case.
That is why we pulled people
together to influence policy and that
is why in 2016 we got the
government to publish the first
Business Visits and Events Strategy,
and that was huge.
Do they get it? A lot certainly do. I
think when we are bidding for
international shows, one of our key
goals on the EIB is to make the case
why it is important for Britain and why
it is important to have endorsements
from our prime minister and leaders.
If ten thousand specialists in
oncology were descending on ExCeL
London, this is a huge opportunity for
Britain to showcase its pharma
sector, its academic sector, its
medical trading sector. To help win
those bids we want to be able to call
on the secretary state for health, or
perhaps the prime minister.
They do that very well in other
countries and that is where we were
trying to move things to. I think we
have moved it, now we have to make
sure that bandwidth in Government
stays so we can come out of this
stronger in the long term.
Will Covid-19’s impact on the
events industry will be a catalyst for
levelling up the economy, and could
influence Government
decision-making?
Now we have a real opportunity. The
positives that will come out of this
pandemic is re-recognition of the
industry and the value this sector has
on the economy.
It is why I believe we can influence
Government not only in this crisis, but
beyond, and because it matches the
prime minister’s wish to level up the
economy.
We are leading the way, and this is
demonstrated in the investment in
infrastructure and where shows will
want to go for example the North
East. Those exhibition and conference
halls opening up are huge. Events can
play a central role in the
Government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda
and wider economic goals by driving
visitor growth and boosting regional
economies right across the country.
London draws people into this
country, but we also have so much
more to offer. VisitEngland has the
ability to act as a clearing house. As
enquires pick up, there may be a
chance we can’t meet demand. We
will be able to help steer event
business around the country, helping
organisers find the most suitable
locations, and spreading the
economic benefit all over
the country.
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