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James B Clarke , general manager at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London and vice-chair of the Master Innholders , gives another association take on future strategy for UK event and hospitality success : More and more UK hotels are enhancing and evolving their event spaces and , while the number of events has increased year on year , we also need to be realistic when it comes to the challenges event professionals currently face .
From suppliers to the hotels themselves , the cost-of-living crisis continues to heavily impact the industry , with many hotels having to source new suppliers due to changes to their supply chain .
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“ Our industry doesn ' t have a recruitment issue , it has an attraction issue !” |
With Visit Britain forecasting 39.5m visits to the UK in 2024 and international spending from it to reach £ 34.1bn , venues need to consider pricing for their events carefully . The UK has a very expensive visa system compared to other countries in the EU , so there is already a price barrier even before visitors decide to visit the UK . Being price competitive will be critical .
Despite these challenges , 2024 is still set to be the year we see international conferences and events truly return , so thinking creatively and looking for ways to help buyers enhance their conferences on the global stage will be important .
Ultimately it comes down to ways to enhance not only the delegate experience , but the event planner experience as well and , in places and ways that people may not always expect . Event buyers are expecting more from events when it comes to sustainability , but delivering them in authentic and exciting ways can help make an event be even more memorable for all the right reasons .
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James Clarke
Park Plaza London Riverbank for example played host to our annual Master Innholders Hotel Leadership Conference recently , where sustainability was a big focus throughout , including the evening dinner . All the menus were created from sustainable rice paper , meaning they could even be eaten with the dessert . A small change , but one that further solidifies UK events ’ focus on sustainability while still enhancing the experience that our guests have come to love from our hotels .
Large-scale international conferences also tend to be overnight affairs , so hotels providing events have a unique opportunity to not just delight attendees throughout the conference itself , but during their stay at the hotel both before and after the conference .
For many international visitors , visiting London is an experience in and of itself , so ensuring your team is engaged and providing that little bit of extra value wherever possible will ensure that both the conference and your hotel offerings will be remembered long afterward . CN
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