News about UKCAMS | ukcams.org.uk

NEWS RELEASE 4 June 2024

MIXED PERFORMANCE IN THE UK’s MEETINGS SECTOR, BUT INVESTMENT AT RECORD LEVELS

The latest research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector suggests that the industry’s post-Covid recovery did not gather momentum in 2023 but rather witnessed a somewhat mixed performance. While there were undoubtedly some venues that were doing really well, others were finding the market more challenging and not experiencing a continuous upward trajectory in business. Rail strikes, a challenging UK economic climate, and continuing post-Covid changes were among a number of factors impacting overall market performance.

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2024’ (UKCAMS), now in its 31st consecutive year, has quantified the scale of the post-Covid recovery and documented other key characteristics and market trends. It shows that, in 2023, there were an estimated 964,000 conferences and meetings in the UK, representing a substantial recovery from 2020 and 2021 (0.2 million and 0.44 million events respectively), but slightly below the 2022 figure of 1.02 million.

Such events generated an estimated £14.4 billion of direct expenditure in venues and the wider destination, compared with an estimated £16.3 billion in 2022.

Capital investment by conference venues in their facilities increased to record levels: approximately three-quarters of venues invested in their facilities in 2023, spending an average of £244,000 each, and a fifth of venues invested over £500,000, higher than both 2022 and 2019 levels. Venue managers are demonstrating a genuine optimism and positivity in the sector as they look towards the future.

Other key findings from the 2024 UKCAMS research include:

The average daily delegate rate achieved by venues for conferences and meetings in 2023 was £46 (inc. VAT). The average 24 hour / residential rate was £158.
The corporate sector accounted for over half of events (55% compared to 46% in 2019). The next most significant group was government and the public sector (27%). Associations accounted for 17% of the market.
Just under a third (29%) of events in 2023 were organised by a professional conference organiser (PCO) or event management agency.
The key international market (in terms of enquiries) was the USA. Germany, France, and China were also important.
Half (51%) of venues were not developing anything to meet trends in AI. Areas that venues were developing included using AI to respond to client enquiries (18%) and offering live availability of event space and instant booking on their website and through third parties (16%).

Findings of the UKCAMS research are widely used to:

Demonstrate the volume of the UK conference and meetings sector and its value to individual venues and to the national economy
Highlight key trends from a venue or supply-side perspective
Ensure continuing support and investment for the industry at national, regional and local levels.

The 2024 UKCAMS research was sponsored by VisitBritain and carried out by Richard Smith of RJS Associates and by Tony Rogers.

Tony Rogers, on behalf of the UKCAMS research team, commented: “The UKCAMS research has consistently demonstrated the scale and importance of the conference and meetings industry to the national economy. The 2024 UKCAMS research programme confirms that the industry still faces certain challenges post-Covid but is also confident in its ability to invest and to deliver business, research and educational benefits for its participants, both now and in the future.”

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2024 report are available priced £195 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to complete an order form.

NEWS RELEASE 22nd JANUARY 2024

LAUNCH OF NEW RESEARCH: ‘THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2024’

UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to take part in the 2024 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today. This important research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 31st year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

The 2024 UKCAMS research asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2023. The survey questionnaire covers the regular questions on the volume and value of the sector but also includes important questions on trends and key issues (for example, venue sustainability practices and policies, AI activity in the business events sector, international business trends).

Findings of the UKCAMS research are widely used to:

Demonstrate the volume of the UK conference and meetings sector and its value to individual venues and to the national economy
Highlight key trends from a venue or supply-side perspective
Ensure continuing support and investment for the industry at national, regional and local levels

UK conference and meeting venues which take part in the 2024 research will receive a complimentary, personalised summary report enabling them to benchmark their performance in 2023 against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UKCAMS2024

The UKCAMS research is being sponsored by VisitBritain and will be carried out by Tony Rogers and by Richard Smith of RJS Associates. The results are expected to be published in June.

VisitBritain / VisitEngland Head of Business Events, Paul Black, said: “VisitBritain is pleased to support the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ in 2024, a valuable tool for us to demonstrate the importance of our business events sector to the UK economy and to Government. There are some important research questions for venues to answer alongside the business level assessment, so we would be very grateful for their participation in supporting this survey.”

Tony Rogers says: “The UKCAMS research has a proven track record as a source of reliable and robust information and market intelligence. It helps venues and destinations, as well as other industry stakeholders, to assess their business performance and to understand the latest sector trends in order to target their marketing and investment decisions to greatest effect.”

Further details of the research are available on the dedicated website: http://www.ukcams.org.uk

NEWS RELEASE 12th JUNE 2023

NEW RESEARCH PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF A STRONG RECOVERY FOR THE UK MEETINGS SECTOR

The latest research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector provides clear evidence of a strong recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and significant optimism for the industry’s future. The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2023’ (UKCAMS), now in its 30th consecutive year, has quantified the scale of the recovery and documented other key characteristics and trends.

The UKCAMS report shows that, in 2022, there were an estimated 1.02 million conferences and meetings in the UK, representing a substantial recovery from 2020 and 2021 (0.2 million and 0.44 million events respectively). Such events generated an estimated £16.3 billion of direct expenditure in venues and the wider destination, compared with an estimated £4.9 billion in 2021, and only slightly below the pre-Covid level of £17.6 billion in 2019.

At the same time, capital investment by conference venues in their facilities is increasing, with over 70 per cent of venues developing their product, spending an average of £166,000 in 2022. This suggests greater optimism in the industry’s future performance, even though investment levels have still remained below the pre-Covid years of 2018 (an average of £209,000 per venue) and 2019 (an average of £176,000).

Other key findings from the 2023 UKCAMS research include:

Over half of venues reported that domestic enquiry levels have returned to 2019 levels, with one in three venues saying that they are higher than 2019
International enquiries had not returned as quickly – with only a quarter of venues reporting that levels were the same as or better than 2019
The UK’s key international market is the USA, with Germany and France also being important
The average size of meetings in 2022 was 73 delegates, although most events (64 per cent) comprised 50 delegates or fewer. Approximately 6 per cent of events had more than 200 delegates
There was an average of 292 conferences and meetings per venue in 2022, compared to 124 in 2021 and 405 in 2019. Purpose-built convention centres, in particular, showed strong growth
About a third of all events in 2022 were organised by a professional conference organiser (PCO) or event management agency
The most common sustainability credentials requested from venues by event organisers were for a waste / recycling policy and a sustainability policy document.

Findings of the UKCAMS research are widely used to:

Demonstrate the volume of the UK conference and meetings sector and its value to individual venues and to the national economy
Highlight key trends from a venue or supply-side perspective
Ensure continuing support and investment for the industry at national, regional and local levels.

VisitBritain Head of Business Events, Paul Black, said: “VisitBritain is pleased to support the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ which provides important insights, research and data on the business events sector in the UK. This is one of the valuable tools we use to demonstrate the importance of events to the UK economy with Government. We are delighted to see the strength of the sector’s recovery from the pandemic and VisitBritain will continue to work closely with our venue and destination partners to build on the current optimism revealed by the UKCAMS research.”

Tony Rogers, on behalf of the UKCAMS research team, commented: “The UKCAMS research has consistently demonstrated the scale and importance of the conference and meetings industry to the national economy. The 2023 UKCAMS research programme confirms that the industry has not only turned the corner post-Covid but is also confident in its ability to deliver business, research and educational benefits for its participants both now and in the future.”

The 2023 UKCAMS research was sponsored by VisitBritain with support from venuedirectory.com.

The research was carried out by Richard Smith of RJS Associates and by Tony Rogers.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2023 report are available priced £195 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk order.

NEWS RELEASE 6th FEBRUARY 2023

LAUNCH OF NEW RESEARCH: ‘THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2023’

UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to take part in the 2023 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today. This vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 30th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

The UKCAMS research is particularly important this year as we seek to establish how much of a recovery has been achieved by the industry following the Covid-19 pandemic. To this end, the 2023 survey asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2022. The questionnaire covers the regular questions on the volume and value of the sector but also includes important questions on trends and key issues (for example, venue sustainability practices and policies, the post-EU departure trading climate, international business opportunities).

Findings of the UKCAMS research are widely used to:

Demonstrate the volume of the UK conference and meetings sector and its value to individual venues and to the national economy
Highlight key trends from a venue or supply-side perspective
Ensure continuing support and investment for the industry at national, regional and local levels.

All UK conference and meeting venues are strongly urged to take part in the 2023 research, which entails completion of a short questionnaire. Those that do so will receive a complimentary, personalised summary report enabling them to benchmark their performance in 2022 against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UKCAMS2023

The UKCAMS research is being carried out by Tony Rogers and by Richard Smith of RJS Associates. The results are expected to be published in June.

VisitBritain is the sponsor of UKCAMS 2023, supported by venuedirectory.com.

VisitBritain Head of Business Events, Paul Black, said: “VisitBritain is pleased to be supporting the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ which will provide some important insights, research and data on the business events sector in the UK. This is one of the valuable tools we use to demonstrate the importance of events to the UK economy with Government and so welcome the wide participation of our destination partners in supporting this report.”

Tony Rogers says: “The UKCAMS research has a proven track record as a source of reliable and robust information and market intelligence. It helps venues and destinations, as well as other industry stakeholders, to assess their business performance and to understand the latest and emerging trends in order to target their marketing and investment decisions to greatest effect.”

NEWS RELEASE 11th JULY 2022

NEW RESEARCH IDENTIFIES THE BEGINNINGS OF RECOVERY FOR THE UK MEETINGS MARKET

New but well-established research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), has identified and quantified the beginnings of a recovery following the catastrophic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, while also providing some tentative timelines for the sector’s full recovery.

The 29^th annual UKCAMS report reveals that an estimated 440,000 conferences and meetings took place in the UK in 2021, compared with just 195,000 in 2020, but still representing only 31 per cent of 2019’s conference and meetings activity. These events generated an estimated £4.9 billion of direct expenditure in venues and destinations, compared to £1.7 billion in 2020 and £17.6 billion in 2019.

Looking forward, just under half of venues (45 per cent) indicated that they expect their conference and meetings business to recover to 2019 levels by 2023, with over a third somewhat less optimistic and anticipating that a full recovery would take longer.

The UKCAMS 2022 report provides an overview of conference venue performance and the estimated impact of conference and meeting spend in destinations in 2021. This was the second consecutive year where performance was hugely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. By May 2021, the majority of the UK was coming out of lockdown but with restrictions on larger events through to mid-July. Business events were permitted without restrictions in the second half of the year, but the Omicron variant surge impacted at the end of 2021 and effectively closed the conference sector again in December.

In 2021 there was an average of 124 conferences and meetings held in primary conference venues, compared with 56 in 2020 and 405 in 2019. The average duration of events was 1.5 days, similar to previous years, although most conferences and meetings (69 per cent) lasted a day or less. Around a fifth (19 per cent) of business was residential at the event venue with an estimated further 12 per cent staying in the wider destination.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the levels of product investment by venues remained below pre-Covid levels, with over a third of venues (35 per cent) not investing anything in 2021, a result of cash flow pressures and trading uncertainties.

venuedirectory.com Managing Director, Michael Begley, said:

“We are delighted to be working with the UKCAMS team as the survey represents a consistent barometer of the industry. It’s been a challenging few years and having the UKCAMS conference and meeting survey allows us and, I am sure, others to compare how the industry is doing against their own business and gives us valuable insight to the overall market.”

Tony Rogers, on behalf of the UKCAMS research team, commented: “The UKCAMS research has consistently demonstrated the scale and importance of the conference and meetings industry to the national economy. The 2022 UKCAMS research programme provides some grounds for optimism that the sector may have begun the process of recovery from the ravages of Covid-19. Future UKCAMS research will monitor the progress the sector is making towards a full recovery,”

The 2022 UKCAMS research was sponsored by VisitBritain with support from venuedirectory.com.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers and by Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2022 report are available priced £195 + VAT. Visit

http://www.ukcams.org.uk order.

NEWS RELEASE 10th MARCH 2022

LAUNCH OF NEW RESEARCH: THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2022

UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to take part in the 2022 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today. This vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 29th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

This is crucially important in 2022 as we seek to calculate the full impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and monitor the progress being made towards a recovery and a return to pre-pandemic activity levels.

Findings of the UKCAMS research are widely used to:

Demonstrate the volume of the UK conference and meetings sector and its value to individual venues and to the national economy
Highlight key trends from a venue or supply-side perspective
Ensure continuing support and investment for the industry at national, regional, and local levels.

The 2021 UKCAMS research revealed a drop of 86 per cent in the volume of conferences and meetings held in 2020 compared with 2019. At the same time, the estimated value of the sector fell from £17.6 billion in 2019 to £1.7 billion in 2020. However, looking forward, half of venues indicated that they expected their conference and meetings business to recover to 2019 levels by 2023, with a quarter more optimistic and indicating by 2022.

The 2022 survey asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2021. It includes questions on the number of events hosted, rates achieved, event duration and size, client type, levels of residential and non-residential business, origins of business, and capital investment undertaken. It also includes sections on the proportions of hybrid events now being staged, and what venues expect to be future priorities for meeting organisers.

All UK conference and meeting venues are strongly urged to take part in the 2022 research, which entails completion of a short questionnaire. Those that do so will receive a complimentary, personalised summary report enabling them to benchmark their performance in 2021 against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UKCAMS-2022

NEWS RELEASE 16 SEPTEMBER 2021

NEW RESEARCH QUANTIFIES THE CATASTROPHIC IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE UK MEETINGS MARKET

Long-running research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), throws into stark relief the huge impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, while also providing some tentative timelines and a baseline for the sector’s recovery.

The 28th annual UKCAMS report shows a drop of 86 per cent in the volume of conferences and meetings held in 2020 compared with 2019. At the same time, the estimated value of the sector fell from £17.6 billion in 2019 to £1.7 billion in 2020.

Looking forward, half of venues indicated that they expect their conference and meetings business to recover to 2019 levels by 2023, with a quarter more optimistic and indicating by 2022. In the short term, venues expect growth in hybrid meetings and a recovery in regular team meetings and training courses, with some hesitancy around the recovery of other markets such as national and international association conferences.

The UKCAMS 2021 report provides an overview of conference venue performance and the estimated impact of conference and meeting spend in destinations in 2020. This was a year where performance was hugely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In mid-March 2020 the UK went into its first lockdown and the conference sector was effectively closed. Impacts of Covid-19 were felt from late February as events were disrupted or cancelled with concerns around the virus. While small events of less than 30 people were permitted during the summer period, the conference sector remained closed for the rest of 2020.

In 2020 there was an average of 56 conferences and meetings held in primary conference venues, compared with 405 in 2019. An estimated total of 195,000 conferences and meetings were held in the UK (compared with 1.40 million in 2019), the vast majority of these in the period January-March (not traditionally a core season for business events). These meetings were attended by some 11 million delegates, accounting for approximately 15.7 million delegate days. The average duration of events declined slightly, from 1.6 days to 1.4 days, although the majority of conferences and meetings (73 per cent) lasted a day or less.

Unsurprisingly, the levels of investment by venues in their product also fell, with almost half of all venues not investing anything in 2020, a result of cash flow pressures and trading uncertainties.

VisitBritain Head of Business Events Kerrin MacPhie said:“The findings in the report are a stark demonstration of the scale of the impact on the UK’s venues from the pandemic, providing the industry with valuable and timely insights. The report also underscores the importance of the work undertaken by the sector, its resilience and determination, in safely welcoming back global events and ensuring a stand-out delegate experience. The outlook for a strong return by 2023, a timeline also reflected in the UK Government’s Tourism Recovery Plan, is very encouraging as the industry reopens and starts on the road to rebuilding.”

Tony Rogers, on behalf of the UKCAMS research team, commented: “The UKCAMS research has consistently demonstrated the scale and importance of this industry to the national economy. The 2021 UKCAMS research programme clearly quantifies the challenge the sector faces in its recovery and future UKCAMS research will monitor the progress it is making towards a successful recovery,”

The 2021 UKCAMS research was sponsored by VisitBritain with support from venuedirectory.com.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2021 report are available priced £185 + VAT.

Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to order.

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 23 MARCH 2021

LAUNCH OF NEW RESEARCH: THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2021

UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to take part in the 2021 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today. This vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 28th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

This is crucially important in 2021 as we seek to calculate the full impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and establish a robust baseline against which future recovery can be measured.

UKCAMS 2020 research found that there was an estimated £17.6 billion of direct expenditure generated by conference and meeting delegates in venues and in wider destination spend, from the estimated 1.40 million conferences and meetings held in the UK in 2019.

Findings of the UKCAMS research are widely used to:

Demonstrate the volume of the UK conference and meetings sector and its value to individual venues and to the national economy
Highlight key trends from a venue or supply-side perspective
Ensure continuing support and investment for the industry at national, regional, and local levels.

The 2021 survey asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2020. It includes questions on the number of events hosted, rates achieved, event duration and size, client type, levels of residential and non-residential business, origins of business, and capital investment undertaken. It also includes a section on the challenges and potential opportunities posed by Covid-19.

All UK conference and meeting venues are strongly urged to take part in the 2021 research, which entails completion of a short questionnaire. Those that do so will receive a complimentary, personalised summary report enabling them to benchmark their performance in 2020 against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UKCAMS-2021

The research is being carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates. The results are expected to be published in late summer.

VisitBritain is the sponsor of UKCAMS 2021, supported by venuedirectory.com.

Kerrin MacPhie, Head of Business Events at VisitBritain, comments: “Now, more than ever, the UK Conference and Meeting Survey is crucial to our understanding of the industry and we are pleased to support this important business events initiative which will provide timely and valuable insights to support the sector’s recovery.”

Tony Rogers says: “The UKCAMS research has a proven track record as a source of reliable and robust information and market intelligence. It helps venues and destinations, as well as other industry stakeholders, to assess their business performance and to understand the latest and emerging trends in order to target their marketing and investment decisions to greatest effect.”

Further details of the research are available on the dedicated website: http://www.ukcams.org.uk

NEWS RELEASE 12 October 2020

NEW RESEARCH PROVIDES BASELINE FOR UK MEETINGS MARKET RECOVERY

New research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), provides a baseline against which the future recovery of the UK’s meetings and conference market can be measured.

The 27th annual UKCAMS report shows the state of the industry pre-Covid, identifying and confirming important trends in UK conferences and meetings as well as describing the key dimensions and characteristics of the sector. It also confirms that, in 2019, the industry was extremely robust and dynamic, making a substantial contribution (almost £18 billion) to the UK economy.

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues. The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

In 2019 there was an estimated £17.6 billion of direct expenditure generated by conference and meeting delegates in venues and in wider destination spend, broadly similar to the total of £18.3 billion in 2018. There were an estimated 1.40 million conferences and meetings in the UK in 2019, above the average for the past decade (1.34 million), but representing a small reduction on the overall total for 2018. There was an average of 405 conferences and meetings per venue in 2019, with the majority (59 per cent) being held in hotels, a further 18 per cent in conference/training centres and 18 per cent in unusual/multi-purpose venues.

Levels of capital investment by venues remained strong with 81 per cent of venues reporting that they had invested in their property in 2019, with 30 per cent investing over £100,000.

The UKCAMS research demonstrates the scale and importance of this industry to the national economy. The 2021 UKCAMS research programme will quantify the challenge the sector faces in its recovery and monitor the progress it is making towards a successful recovery.

“The UKCAMS research has been undertaken annually since 1993. However, at no time in that period have we faced the huge challenges in carrying out the research that we have seen in 2020, with many venues closed over an extended period, staff furloughed or made redundant, and the very existence of the conference and business events sector itself under severe threat,” commented Tony Rogers on behalf of the UKCAMS research team. “We believe that UKCAMS provides vitally important market intelligence for our industry, as well as for government and for businesses. We hope that the 2020 UKCAMS report will play a significant part in the industry’s future recovery.”

The 2020 UKCAMS research was sponsored by VisitBritain with support from venuedirectory.com.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2020 report are available priced £180 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to order.

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 26 FEBRUARY 2020

LAUNCH OF NEW RESEARCH: THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2020

UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to take part in the 2020 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today. The UKCAMS 2020 report is scheduled for publication in June.

This vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 27th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities. Last year’s research found that the conference and meetings sector was worth an estimated £18.3 billion to the UK economy, with some 1.48 million meetings taking place in 2018.

The 2020 survey asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2019. It includes questions on the number of events hosted, rates achieved, event duration and size, client type, levels of residential and non-residential business, origins of business, and capital investment undertaken.

UKCAMS 2020 also includes a section on the targeting and securing of international events by UK venues, as well as a question on factors likely to affect venues’ level of business over the next couple of years.

All UK conference and meeting venues are strongly urged to take part in the 2020 research, which entails completion of a short questionnaire. Those that do so will receive a complimentary, personalised summary report enabling them to benchmark their performance in 2019 against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UKCAMS2020

The research is being carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

VisitBritain is the sponsor of UKCAMS 2020, supported by venuedirectory.com.

Kerrin MacPhie, Head of Business Events at VisitBritain, comments: “The Conference and Meeting Survey is crucial to our understanding of the industry, and we are delighted to continue our support to this important business events initiative.

“The survey enables VisitBritain to see how destinations and venues across the country are performing in the global business events market and supports our role as we promote the UK as a leading destination for international meetings and events.”

Tony Rogers says: “The UKCAMS research has a proven track record as a source of reliable and robust information and market intelligence. It helps venues and destinations, as well as other industry stakeholders, to assess their business performance and to understand the latest and emerging trends in order to target their marketing and investment decisions to greatest effect. UKCAMS also plays a key role in highlighting the significance and value of the conference and meetings sector to the national economy.”

Further details of the research are available on the dedicated website: http://www.ukcams.org.uk

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 25 June 2019

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS A BUOYANT UK MEETINGS MARKET

New research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2019’ (UKCAMS), reveals a robust and buoyant industry. There was an estimated £18.3 billion of direct expenditure generated by conference and meeting delegates in venues and in wider destination spend in 2018, up from £16.5 billion in 2017. At the same time, the overall number of conferences and meetings held in 2018 was the highest in recent years – an average of 428 conferences and meetings per venue compared with 373 in 2017 and 419 in 2016.

These positive UKCAMS 2019 results show the industry flourishing. The research findings also reveal that the overall number of conferences and meetings in 2018 was an estimated 1.48 million compared with the 2017 figure of 1.29 million (and 1.45 million in 2016). While most events (66 per cent) comprised 50 delegates or fewer, with just 6 per cent of events having more than 200 delegates, the average event size was 72 delegates, the same as for 2017.

Levels of capital investment by venues remained strong with 73 per cent of venues reporting that they had invested in their property in 2018, with 17 per cent investing over £500,000.

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’, now in its 26^th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues. The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

Other key findings from the research include:

In 2018, there were an estimated 95.3 million delegates accounting for approximately 152.8 million delegate days.
The average duration of conferences and meetings was 1.6 days (unchanged from previous years), although almost two-thirds of events lasted only one day or less
Conference and training centres (640 events) and hotels (453 events) hosted higher than average numbers of events
Just over a third (35 per cent) of conferences and meetings in 2018 were organised by a professional conference organiser (PCO) or event management agency
While the majority of UK venues are focused on the domestic meetings market, some 10 per cent of venues are proactive in seeking to attract international conferences, which account for 11 per cent or more of their business. Venues tended to target international conferences through trade shows and familiarisation visits.

Kerrin MacPhie, VisitBritain’s Head of Business Events, commented:’The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2019’ provides UK destinations and venues with valuable insights into the sector’s scale and latest trends, helping to inform their business planning and marketing activity.

The UK is home to many world-renowned venues that consistently host leading international events. Their success not only needs to be recorded but also celebrated. VisitBritain recognises the importance of the ICCA ranking as a key tool in achieving this. The UKCAMS research results show us that more can be done by UK venues to record ICCA activity and we strongly encourage them to consistently log their international ICCA events. Doing so recognises and celebrates their world-class credentials, reinforcing the UK’s position as a leading business events destination.”

The 2019 UKCAMS research was sponsored by: VisitBritain, The Meetings Show, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, and Hiscox Event Insurance.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2019 report are available priced £180 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to order.

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 4 February 2019

NEW RESEARCH: THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2019

Conference and meeting venues are being urged to take part in the 2019 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today, principally sponsored by VisitBritain. The UKCAMS 2019 report is scheduled for publication in June.

This vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 26th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities. The 2018 research found that the conference and meetings sector was worth an estimated £18.1 billion to the UK economy, with some 1.29 million meetings taking place in 2017.

The 2019 survey asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2018. It includes questions on the number of events hosted, rates achieved, event duration and size, client type, levels of residential and non-residential business, origins of business, and investment plans.

UKCAMS 2019 also includes a section on the targeting and securing of international events by UK venues.

All UK conference and meeting venues are strongly encouraged to take part in the 2019 research, which entails completion of a short questionnaire. Those that do so will receive a complimentary, personalised summary report enabling them to benchmark their performance against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UKCAMS2019

The research is being carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

VisitBritain is the principal sponsor of UKCAMS 2019. Other sponsors include: The Meetings Show, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, and Hiscox Event Insurance.

Kerrin MacPhie, Head of Business Events at VisitBritain, comments: “We are pleased to be supporting the Conference and Meeting Survey to enhance our understanding of the work and activity undertaken by UK venues in the international business events market. We are also keen on using the survey to discover how UK venues and destinations are performing in securing international events.

“Industry initiatives such as this are great for encouraging as many UK venues to get involved in contributing to the research, which helps to ensure Britain remains a competitive destination in the global business events marketplace.”

Tony Rogers says: “The UKCAMS research has a proven track record as a source of reliable and robust information and market intelligence. It helps venues and destinations, as well as other industry stakeholders, to understand the latest and emerging trends in order to target their marketing and investment decisions to greatest effect. UKCAMS also plays a key role in highlighting the significance and value of the conference and meetings sector to the national economy.”

Further details of the research are available on the dedicated website: http://www.ukcams.org.uk

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 14 January 2019

NEW RESEARCH INTO UNIVERSITY AND ACADEMIC CONFERENCE MARKET TRENDS

New research into the university and academic conference market is published today. The new report, entitled ‘University and Academic Conference Market Trends’, represents the first in a series of reports examining the developments, changes and trends in different types of conference and meeting venue over the past decade. It is based on the huge volumes of data that have been collected in this period via the annual ‘UK Conference and Meetings Survey’ (UKCAMS) research. It is designed to complement the national UKCAMS data by providing an in-depth analysis of different venue types on a sector by sector basis.

This report examines the Academic venue sector and, in particular, provides a more detailed focus on Universities. It looks at the supply of such venues and their different characteristics; the size and value of the Academic venue sector; the performance of Academic venues – by different sub-categories of venue. It also provides a trend analysis, since 2009, of the relative performance of Academic venues.

The report also contains a number of contemporary insights from the ‘coalface’, written by university conference sales representatives, summarising their current market experiences but also reflecting on changes experienced over recent years.

Key findings from the research include:

Conferences and meetings held in Academic venues in 2017 generated an estimated 15 million delegate days and £1.9 billion of in-destination spend

The annual average number of conferences has fluctuated since 2009. Academic venues experienced an increase in 2010 and 2011 but fell back in 2013 and 2014. They have witnessed some growth in the last couple of years.

This trend appears to have been driven by business from the corporate sector which has also fluctuated since 2009 but has shown an increase from 2013.

Levels of overnight conference business have also increased from 2013 – reaching a peak in 2017.

Tony Rogers, one of the report authors, comments: “Academic venues, principally universities, have a long history of staging meetings and training events but it is really only in the past two to three decades that serious investment has taken place to provide facilities for, and the marketing of, dedicated meeting and conference spaces for hire by external organisations. Such activity, of course, has grown to become an important

revenue stream for Academic venues and is key to maximising the use of the extensive facilities that they have available. We hope that our report will offer valuable intelligence and new insights into the development of this important conference market sector.”

The research was carried out by Richard Smith of RJS Associates and Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services. They also undertake the annual UKCAMS research.

Copies of the report are available priced £250 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to order.

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 19 June 2018

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS AN EVOLVING UK MEETINGS MARKET

New research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2018’ (UKCAMS), reveals an estimated £18.1 billion of direct expenditure generated by conference and meeting delegates in venues and in wider destination spend in 2017. While the overall number of conferences and meetings held in 2017 was lower than in 2016, the average size of events was up slightly on 2016.

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’, now in its 25th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues. The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

The delegate spend calculations in the report are based on the latest Business Events Research conducted in 2017 by VisitBritain, replacing the historic data that had previously been used in UKCAMS estimates.

The research findings show that the overall number of conferences and meetings in 2017 was an estimated 1.29 million compared with the 2016 figure of 1.45 million, but was on a par with the average for the last decade (an average of 1.31 million per annum). Venues hosted an average of 373 conferences and meetings in 2017, down on 2016 (419 events) and 2015 (383 events). However, an increase in the average size of events (72 delegates per event in 2017 compared with 67 per event in 2016) in part mitigated against this downward trend. Levels of capital investment by venues remained strong with 82 per cent of venues reporting that they had invested in their property in 2017, with 15 per cent investing over £500,000.

Other key findings from the research include:

In 2017, there were an estimated 92.8 million delegates accounting for approximately 147.4 million delegate days. These delegates generated an estimated £18.1 billion of direct expenditure in venues and the wider destination, down slightly on 2016 (£18.6 billion)

The average duration of conferences and meetings was 1.6 days (unchanged from previous years), although almost two-thirds of events lasted only one day or less

Conference and training centres (592 events), hotels (445 events) and academic venues (387 events) hosted higher than average numbers of events

Two-fifths of events in 2017 (40 per cent) were organised by a professional conference organiser (PCO) or event management agency. This was up on 2016 and continues a trend of increasing use of third party organisers by event owners

Just over a tenth (12 per cent) of venues hosted a significant proportion of international conferences – 11 per cent or more of their conferences. However, of those venues that do not target international conferences, a fifth are very interested in targeting this market in the future. Venues tended to target international conferences through trade shows and / or in partnership with a conference bureau.

Kerrin MacPhie, VisitBritain’s Head of Business Events, commented:’The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2018’ provides UK destinations and venues with important insights into the sector’s scale and latest trends, helping to inform their business planning and marketing activity. VisitBritain is committed to working with the sector to grow the UK’s share of international business events and this research is a valuable tool in helping achieve this.”

The 2018 UKCAMS research was sponsored by: VisitBritain, IMEX Group, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, Glasgow Convention Bureau, and Hiscox Event Insurance.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2018 report are available priced £165 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to download an order form.

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 6 FEBRUARY 2018

NEW RESEARCH: THE UK CONFERENCE AND MEETING SURVEY 2018

Vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector is launched today. The 2018 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), now in its 25th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

The survey asks UK venues to provide data on their conference and meeting business during the calendar year 2017. It includes questions on the number of events hosted, rates achieved, event duration and size, client type, levels of residential and non-residential business, origin of business, investment plans, and overall business performance in 2017 together with their projections for business in 2018.

UKCAMS 2018 includes, for the first time, a new section on the targeting and securing of international events by UK venues.

All UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to participate in the UKCAMS research. Those venues completing the questionnaire will receive a complimentary, personalised report enabling them to benchmark their performance against other comparable venues. The online questionnaire can be accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UKCAMS-2018

The research is being carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates. Tony has been involved with the research since its inception in 1993 and Richard since 2004.

VisitBritain is the principal sponsor of UKCAMS 2018. Other sponsors include: IMEX Group, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, Hiscox Event Insurance and Glasgow Convention Bureau.

Tony Rogers says: “The UKCAMS research has a proven track record as a source of reliable and robust information and market intelligence. It helps venues and destinations, as well as other industry stakeholders, to understand the latest and emerging trends in order to target their marketing and investment decisions to greatest effect. UKCAMS also plays a key role in highlighting the significance and value of the conference and meetings sector to the national economy.”

Kerrin MacPhie, Head of Business Events at VisitBritain, comments: “VisitBritain is pleased to be supporting this research which will help with understanding the current level of activity by UK venues. It is good to see, this year, a focus on how venues are interacting with the international market.

I would urge venues from across the UK to take part in the survey, as research such as this helps in ensuring Britain remains competitive in the global marketplace.” Further details of the research are available on the dedicated website: http://www.ukcams.org.uk

For further information: contact Tony Rogers tel: +44 (0)7887 596727 or email: tony@tony-rogers.com

NEWS RELEASE 26 June 2017

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS A BUOYANT BUT COMPETITIVE MEETINGS MARKET

New research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2017’ (UKCAMS), reveals that, in 2016, the highest numbers of face-to-face conferences and meetings were held at UK venues since 2008. This is despite, or possibly because of, the uncertainty and instability created by Brexit. The research estimates that the sector was worth an estimated £19.4 billion in venue and destination direct spend in 2016, a rise in line with inflation compared with the estimated value of £19.2 billion in 2015.

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’, now in its 24th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues. The results provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

The research findings show that the overall number of conferences and meetings in 2016 (an estimated 1.45 million) rose by 110,000 (or 8 per cent) compared with the 2015 figure of 1.34 million. However, a slight decrease in the average size of events (67 delegates per event as against 70 in 2015) combined with a small reduction in the proportion of residential events meant that the overall value of the sector has remained constant rather than increased in line with the increase in meetings activity.

The meetings industry remains extremely competitive and venues are constantly seeking ways to obtain an edge on their competitors. Clients are negotiating hard and the research shows that price and value for money factors are key criteria for event organisers when selecting their next venues.

Other indicators of market buoyancy revealed by this new UKCAMS research include optimism on the part of UK venues about the prospects for future business performance, with some 59 per cent of venues predicting that business will increase further in 2017. At the same time, product investment levels are at their highest level since 2011, with over four-fifths of the survey respondents indicating that they had undertaken some capital investment in 2016.

Other key findings from the research include:

There was an average of 419 conferences and meetings per venue in 2016 (compared with an average of 383 in 2015), the highest level in the past ten years. The majority of events were held in hotels, followed by unusual/multi-purpose venues

Conference and training centre (536 events) and hotels (459 events) hosted higher than average numbers of events

In 2016, there were an estimated 97.5 million delegates accounting for approximately 151.2 million delegate days (compared with 94.1 million delegates and 144 million delegate days in 2015)

The average daily delegate rate achieved by venues for conferences and meetings was £39 (inc VAT) (£37 inc VAT in 2015). The average 24-hour / residential rate was £142 (inc VAT)(£137 in 2015)

Other important influencing factors for event organisers, as noted by venues, were the provision of free Wi-Fi, venue location and accessibility, and the availability of flexible event spaces.

‘We believe that the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2017’ provides further confirmation of the energy and vitality of the conference and meetings sector,’ commented Tony Rogers, who has been involved with this research since its inception in 1993. ‘It also offers an invaluable insight into the sector’s scale and characteristics, and into current and emerging trends. It is essential reading for all who want to keep abreast of the sector’s changing dynamics and growth potential.’

The 2017 UKCAMS research was sponsored by: IMEX Group, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, and Hiscox Event Insurance.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2017 report are available priced £165 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to download an order form.

NEWS RELEASE 20 JUNE 2016

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS MORE, BUT SMALLER, UK BUSINESS EVENTS AND LOWER OVERALL SPEND

New research into the UK’s conference and business events sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2016’ (UKCAMS), reveals that, in 2015, more business events were held at UK venues but with fewer delegates. The research estimates that the sector was worth an estimated £19.2 billion in venue and destination direct spend in 2015, a fall compared with the previous year. The findings mirror other recent research which suggests that organisers are being asked to deliver more with static event budgets.

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’, now in its 23rd consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues. The results provide a definitive insight into the business events sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

The research findings show that the overall number of business events in 2015 (an estimated 1.34 million) rose by 600,000 compared with the 2014 figure of 1.28 million. However, a decrease in the average size of events (70 delegates per event as against 81 in 2014) led to a fall of some 10 million in the total number of delegates, with 94.1 million delegates generating approximately 144 million business event days in 2015, compared with 104 million delegates and 162 million business event days in 2014. This fall in the average size of events also means that the estimated value of the sector, £19.2 billion, is £2.4 billion lower than the 2014 total (£21.6 billion).

However, continuing optimism in the market was reflected in sustained levels of investment by venues, with 79 per cent having undertaken some investment in 2015. The proportion of venues investing more than £500,000 was up on 2013 and 2014 levels, with purpose-built convention centres being the heaviest investors. Venues also indicated that their overall business performance was up in 2015 compared with 2014, and 61 per cent anticipated that 2016 results would show further growth.

Other key findings from the research include:

There was an average of 383 business events per venue in 2015 (compared with an average of 366 in 2014), the highest level since 2008. The majority of events (61 per cent) were held in hotels

The average event duration was 1.5 days, although most events (67 per cent) lasted a day or less. Average duration varied from 1.4 days for non-residential events to 2.0 days for residential events

The average daily delegate rate achieved by venues for business events was £37 (inc VAT). The average 24-hour / residential rate was £139 (inc VAT). These figures are very similar to the average rates achieved in the period 2013-2015 of £37 and £137 respectively.

The lack of growth in rates achieved also suggests that the market is still highly competitive.

Other important influencing factors for event organisers, as noted by venues, were the provision of free Wi-Fi as well as the availability of flexible event spaces.

Compared to three years ago, the one source of business and lead generation that had grown was social media – highlighted as important by three-quarters of venues. Venues also indicated some growth in business from third party websites, and from PCOs and agents.

Simon Gidman, Head of Business Visits and Events for VisitEngland and principal sponsor of UKCAMS 2016, comments: ‘The UK events industry has a lot to look forward to over the next few years. England plays host to a series of significant scientific and business events including the prestigious EuroScience Open Forum in Manchester (2016) and the International Festival of Business in Liverpool (2016). In 2017, Hull will be crowned UK City of Culture resulting in a number of exciting events coming to the progressive Yorkshire city. The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2016’ provides key insights into the sector’s scale and characteristics, essential reading for all who want to keep abreast of the sector’s changing dynamics and growth potential.’

Other sponsors of the UKCAMS research are: IMEX Exhibitions, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, and Hiscox Event Insurance.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates.

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2016 report are available priced £145 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to order the report.