Louisa Daley talks to the Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau and IET Birmingham to understand how the Commonwealth Games created event legacy and revitalised the regions venues

ur industry prides itself on connecting individuals and creating memorable experiences , which has scope to create lasting legacy . And what better example of this than the 2022 Commonwealth Games ?

From 28 July – 8 August , the West Midlands played host to a Games that not only sold around 1.5 million tickets , but also welcomed 4,600 athletes from across 72 nations and territories to take part in the huge sporting spectacle .

Over half the country ’ s poplation tuned in , meaning all eyes were on the region and its surrounding areas . How exactly did the West Midlands harness this global spotlight to further its positioning as a centre for events excellence ?

To understand the Games ’ impact on the legacy of the region

Stephanie Mynett

“ The West Midlands has a strong track record in delivering high quality and high-profile sporting events , and the 2022 Commonwealth Games was a perfect opportunity to do this again .”

– Stephanie Mynett

and its venues , Louisa Daley sits down with Sian Roberts , head of business growth ; and Stephanie Mynett , business tourism manager from Birmingham and the West Midlands Convention Bureau ; as well as Angie Devi , sales office manager , IET Birmingham : Austin Court .

“ The West Midlands has a strong track record in delivering high -quality and high-profile sporting events , and the 2022 Commonwealth Games was a perfect opportunity to do this again . Events like this offer an opportunity for us to tell our story ,” says Mynett .

“ Being able to demonstrate that we can accommodate this large-scale , global event and being able to showcase our venues , workforce , talent , local authorities and stakeholders that we ’ ve got here has helped create legacy for the city and region ,” Roberts adds . Mynett agrees and states that the Games will act as a catalyst for further investment and regeneration , which she says is a “ huge legacy opportunity in itself ”.

The bigger picture

This is where the £ 24m Business and Tourism Programme ( BATP ) comes in , which is funded by the DCMS and the West Midlands Combined Authority .

The three-year programme aims to leverage the Games to create long-term , economic benefits for

Events facilities at Austin Court

businesses and communities across the West Midlands region .

“ The whole remit of the programme is to create 1,000 new jobs ( 600 in the West Midlands region ); bring in more international and national visitors and , therefore , generate millions of pounds in visitor spend ; highlight the economic impact conferences bring and develop sector expertise ,” explains Roberts .

The programme also aims to create positive perceptions of the West Midlands , which has already begun . Roberts tells me the Convention Bureau surveyed its national and international visitors before and after the Games , about this very thing .

“ Before the Games , visitor perception was scored between a three and six , and after the Games , it went up and was between an eight and 10 ( 10 being the best and one being the worst ).

“ The Games really changed the perception of the region for the