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Business Events could help Scotland’s economic recovery says VisitScotland, as a new survey reveals association events and conferences are worth at least £217 million to the Scottish economy.
The Scottish Association Survey, the first of its kind produced by VisitScotland Business Events, found that international events account for 47% of association events, with UK conferences making up the remaining 53%. A total of 447 association events took place in 2018/19.
Around four in ten delegates extend their stay in Scotland by three days, while nine out of ten say they would return to holiday in Scotland.
VisitScotland Business Events hopes it will create a baseline for future evaluations and highlights Scotland’s credentials in key sectors, which could play an important role as the industry recovers from the impact of Covid-19.
Its publication comes as the latest ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) rankings reveal that the country accounted for 31% of the total number of association events taking place in the UK in 2019, with Edinburgh and Glasgow ranked higher than Melbourne, Vancouver and New York.
The VisitScotland survey refers to conferences held or organized by academic or trade membership organisations (also known as associations) which have at least 50 delegates and are targeted at UK or international members.
Association events and conferences held in Scotland contributed approximately £217 million to the national economy in 2018/19, around £11 million of which is estimated to have come from delegates staying longer and returning for future visits.
The national tourism organisation’s business events team compiled the survey from the results of its own delegate questionnaires and data provided by convention bureaus and key venues across Scotland.
“Beyond the immediate spend, which is vital for local economies, the legacy associations can have on a destination is now gaining greater attention. An association selecting Scotland is recognition that Scotland is a world leader in its field,” reads the Scottish Association Survey.
Highlights of the survey:
- A total of 447 association events took place in 2018/19, of which 47% were international events.
- Two to three-day events were the most common (58% combined) while the longest lasted eight days.
- The 447 events welcomed 130,000 delegates, which amounted to 425,600 ‘delegate days’.
- Life Sciences dominated UK and international events (55% of all delegate days), followed by ICT and Data, and Social Sciences.
- Human Health & Disease and Surgery & Medicine were the most common Life Science topics.
- VisitScotland data suggests 42% of UK delegates and 37% of international delegates extend their stay in Scotland for three days on average.
- 80 different venues were used across Scotland, with 55% of events taking place at an academic venue
Last year Scotland hosted 143 association events that met the ICCA criteria, a 2.5% increase in the number taking place in the country compared with the previous year. Edinburgh (position 31) was the second most popular UK destination in the rankings after London having hosted 77 association events in 2019.
Neil Brownlee, Head of VisitScotland Business Events, said: “The Scottish Association Survey reveals, for the first time, trends and data which can help inform businesses and venues when marketing for associations and how to improve the delegate experience and form a key part of Scotland’s recovery.
“While ongoing restrictions mean 2020 will be a challenging year for business events, these results reveal Scotland can continue to be an incredibly attractive destination for conference organisers, attracting huge numbers of delegates; delegates who spend in our cities and towns, and support our key sectors like Life Sciences and Data.
“However, the impact of business events goes far beyond venues and accommodation providers. They are crucial for supporting social and economic change, and as the world emerges from Covid-19, we want Scotland to be leading those international conversations.”
Other Scottish cities that made the rankings include Glasgow which climbed six places in the rankings to position 41, hosting a total of 59 association events in 2019. This year, Glasgow was scheduled to host the prestigious 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the Scottish Event Campus, which has now been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The city of Aberdeen, also placed in the ICCA rankings at position 377, hosting a total of six association events in 2019. Last August Aberdeen celebrated the opening of its newest event complex, P&J Live, which can host up to 5,000 delegates.
The Scottish Association Survey 2018/19 can be found here: https://static.visitscotland.com/pdf/scottishassociationsurvey2018-19.pdf
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