Travel trade association UKinbound has announced it is to take its 2027 Annual Convention to Newcastle Gateshead.
The winning bid was submitted by Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI)’s convention bureau as part of a competitive tender, with the two‑day flagship event confirmed to take place at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and other venues across the heart of the region in February 2027.
Building on the success of England’s first Destination Development Partnership Pilot (DDP), which ends in April after four years, the convention’s arrival in the North East presents a big opportunity for the whole region to share ideas and learnings and explore opportunities for partnerships across the industry.
The DDP has helped to unlock the North East’s untapped potential with a step-change in region-wide travel trade engagement that has seen the area deliver a collaborative, joined up travel trade programme for the first time in over a decade.
The Annual Convention is expected to welcome more than 400 tourism professionals from across the UK’s inbound sector, bringing together businesses such as attractions, accommodation providers, transport and aviation companies, alongside tour operators and international trade buyers responsible for delivering visitors to the UK from key markets such as the USA, Europe and Asia.
The programme will feature topical industry seminars and workshops, and a full day of B2B meetings.
Delegates will also have the opportunity to explore the region’s rich and varied tourism offering, including its coastlines, countryside and towns and cities. UKinbound and NGI will deliver a programme of familiarisation trips for inbound buyers.
Joss Croft OBE, CEO, UKinbound, said: “The bid from Newcastle Gateshead Initiative was exceptional, demonstrating a real ambition to work with the travel trade and a clear vision for growing international visitor numbers to the region.
“Latest research shows that UKinbound operators facilitate more than half of all inbound visits to the United Kingdom.”
Dr Sarah Green OBE, chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “Hosting the Convention in NewcastleGateshead allows us to champion and share the trailblazing work we’ve delivered as England’s first Destination Development Partnership Pilot, as we look ahead to an exciting future for our visitor economy, with increased investment and capacity to deliver on our ambitions.”
Photo: Courtesy of Visit England