Conferences put spotlight on attractions; NewcastleGateshead Initiative Celebrating Ten Years of Cultural Regeneration.

THOSE who work in NewcastleGateshead already know it is a fantastic place to do business. But now the message is beginning to spread far and wide - thanks to a growing number of companies and organisations descending on the region for major business events.

The emphatic backdrop of NewcastleGateshead's unique skyline is not just providing a pull for the traditional leisure tourism markets. As growing numbers of people in industry and commerce across the UK are discovering, NewcastleGateshead also has a tremendous amount to offer as a business tourism destination.

The last 12 months have seen the region host several high-profile events which have been worth millions of pounds to the regional economy.

These events also have significant "intellectual impact", helping to build the area's reputation for world-class research and innovation.

It has been a dramatic turnaround.

In 2002, the UK Conference Market Survey revealed that NewcastleGateshead did not figure among the top destinations used by either the association or corporate markets. Yet just three years later, NewcastleGateshead was ranked sixth by usage in both.

This remarkable upturn has been helped by the creation of the NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, a specialist team within NewcastleGateshead Initiative which is spearheading the development of business tourism together with a wide range of conference partners and ambassadors.

Business tourism is now responsible for 23% of all domestic trips in North East England and 32% of all domestic tourism spending - a greater proportion than any other region apart from London and the West Midlands.

The iconic Sage Gateshead has hosted two of the high-profile events in the last year. The Sir Norman Foster & Partners-designed venue, which can accommodate 1,700 delegates, played host to the British Council for Shopping Centres Annual Conference and Retail Showcase in November 2007 and the Conservative Party Spring Forum in March 2008.

These events alone have brought thousands of people to the region for the first time. And they have left with a completely new positive perception of NewcastleGateshead.

People like Coun Stephen Ellis, from Staffordshire, a delegate at the Conservative Party conference, who said afterwards: "I fell in love with the place and the people - both so warm and welcoming. I have never been to NewcastleGateshead before, but I'm definitely coming back."

The boom in conference business has paved the way for a new wave of hotel developments, including 2,000 new hotel rooms. Welcome additions to the scene will soon include a new Hotel du Vin in the former headquarters of the Tyne and Wear Shipping Company and a four-star hotel at Newcastle International Airport.

Much of NewcastleGateshead's international conference business is secured due to the high quality scientific and medical research taking place in our academic institutions, in particular Newcastle University. This is a market which is expected to grow as the Newcastle Science City project develops. The region has already hosted a range of science and medical related events, including the European Association for Cancer Education and the European Association for the Study of the Liver.

Jessica Roberts is head of business tourism at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau.

"Major organisations as diverse as BT, the Conservative Party and the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers have all held major conferences here in the last year, demonstrating the destination has a proven track record in delivering high-profile events in an inspiring setting," she said.

"It also highlights a growth in business tourism in the region, with 2007/08 seeing events worth roughly pounds 1.25m in direct revenue confirmed by the Convention Bureau with its members. In a wider context, last year's British Council of Shopping Centres conference at The Sage Gateshead delivered an estimated pounds 3.4m economic impact to the region's visitor spend.

"The growing conference market is extremely important to NewcastleGateshead from an economic development perspective, but also just as importantly from an intellectual one; helping to build the area's reputation for world-class research and innovation in key areas such as medicine and healthcare, energy and environment, science and engineering.

"With events including the International Conference on Priorities in Health Care, the British Trauma Society and the International Glaciological Society coming up next year, we have a great opportunity to profile the destination's key areas of expertise and put the spotlight on what businesses and organisations in and around NewcastleGateshead have to offer."

2009 promises to be another busy year for the NewcastleGateshead tourism economy.

WHERE TORIES CAME TO PARTY

POLITICAL party conferences have long been associated with the seaside, but NewcastleGateshead was very much new territory when the Conservative Party headed to the North East for their Spring Forum in March 2008.

More than 1,500 delegates attended the event which took place at The Sage Gateshead.

And the feedback gathered by NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, which played a major role in bringing the conference to the North East, suggested that most of the delegates went home with a transformed image of the area.

Conservative Party chairman Caroline Spelman said: "We are delighted that we brought our Spring Forum to NewcastleGateshead. It was a bold, inspired decision by our party to venture to a new location, and we couldn't have found a more accommodating and welcoming venue than The Sage Gateshead."

Jessica Roberts, head of business tourism at the Bureau, said the event was estimated to have brought an immediate pounds 1m to the local economy.

"The region's tourism market has also benefited as we know many delegates will return with their families and friends in the future for leisure breaks," she said.

"The Spring Forum in particular also brought a national media spotlight on NewcastleGateshead during the course of the conference."

THE 3,000-plus delegates who converged on North East England for the British Council for Shopping Centres' Annual Conference and Retail Showcase are estimated to have brought pounds 3.4m to the region's economy.

The largest commercial conference ever held in the region, the three-day event, which took place last November, attracted some of the most influential players from the retail property market.

Keynote speakers included Sir Bob Geldof.

A semi-permanent structure of more than 5,000sq metres was specially constructed at The Sage Gateshead to house the giant trade show.

THE influence of Newcastle Gate shead's professional community in attracting conferences and events to the area cannot be underest imate d.

Newcastle Gate shead Convention Bureau has developed a highly successful Conference Ambassador Programme which works with local academics, medical and business professionals to proactively bid for major national and international confere nces.

Gill Pilkington, who manages the programme said: "Hosting a conference is a great way to put your expertise and organisation on the world stage and highlight the strengths of the region. The Convention Bureau provides bespoke support throughout the bidding and subsequent delivery process to ensure conference bids have the best chance of success."

To discuss bidding for an event, contact Gill Pilkington on [phone] or email gill. pilkington@ ngi.org.uk

Major organisations as diverse as BT, the Conservative Party and the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers have all held major conferences here in the last year

Come and join us....

IF you are interested in playing an active part in NewcastleGateshead's dynamic ongoing redevelopment and regeneration, join NewcastleGateshead Initiative and help keep the momentum going.

Together with our 180 business members, help raise the profile of what NewcastleGateshead has achieved to put our 'twin cities' on the national and international map.

For more information on the benefits of joining NewcastleGateshead Initiative, contact Phil Payne on [phone]/email [e-mail]

CAPTION(S):

EYE CATCHING The Sage Gateshead has played host to high-profile conferences in the last two years including the Conservative Party Spring Forum in March 2008.; PRIME LOCATION Gateshead's Hilton Hotel.; INFLUENCE The British Council for Shopping Centres' Annual Conference.; PRESTIGE The Conservative Party conference at The Sage Gateshead.