• VisitBritain Association Conference, EXPERIENCEit, and ETAG take place between 5-8 February bringing together over 1,000 tourism and event professionals to meet in Edinburgh
• EICC CEO Marshall Dallas: “While the events sector grew last year, and the demand for in-person events is robust, we know the industry remains circumspect around areas like economic backdrop, fluctuating costs, and ensuring we have the right skills in place to match evolving dynamics”
• Marshall Dallas added: “We believe next week’s conferences can help shape positive strategies to underpin continuing industry growth this year and in the years ahead”
• The UK events market is projected to reach £110 billion by 2032

The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) is gearing up for a trio of premier tourism and events industry conferences, with the VisitBritain Association Conference, EXPERIENCEit, and ETAG’s annual tourism industry conference taking place between 5-8 February, and bringing together over 1,000 tourism and event professionals to meet in Edinburgh.

The VisitBritain Association Conference 2024 is the UK’s annual gathering of association meeting planners who organise conferences worldwide, professional conference organisers and decision-makers city convention bureaus, EXPERIENCEit brings together organisations and individuals from Scotland’s marketing, communications, film, entertainment, sport, festivals, and business events sectors, and ETAG Annual Conference 2024 is billed by organisers as a “must attend” for everyone with an interest in Edinburgh’s visitor economy.

EICC CEO Marshall Dallas said: “What’s notable is that we are hosting three major conferences for key players in our industry at an Edinburgh, Scotland, and UK-wide level at the EICC next week.  Overall, while the events sector grew last year, and the demand for in-person events is robust, we know the industry remains circumspect around areas like economic backdrop, fluctuating costs, and ensuring we have the right skills in place to match the evolving dynamics.”

Marshall Dallas added: “We believe next week’s conferences can help shape positive strategies to underpin continuing industry growth this year and in the years ahead.”

The UK events market is projected to reach £110 billion by 2032, registering annual growth of approximately 5% from 2023 to 2032.  Research has indicated that the events industry in the UK has the potential to grow even quicker, but is being held back by staff shortages.

Other key trends to be discussed at the VisitBritain, EXPERIENCEit, and ETAG conferences next week include rising costs, technology, sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The EICC is set to announce annual results for 2023 later next month.

Conference links:

Experienceit: https://eventit.org.uk/register-your-interest/

ETAG: https://www.etag.org.uk/event/etag-conference-2024/

VisitBritain: https://www.visitbritain.org/business-events-association-conference-2024