Meet Blackpool, the North-West coastal town’s conference bureau, has revealed that corporate events have already generated £3,233,775 in economic benefit for the local area in 2025, exceeding its annual target of £2.2 million for the financial year ending March 2026 seven months ahead of schedule.
Just five months into the financial year, Blackpool has already achieved a 12% year-on-year increase on the £2.89 million in revenue generated from events in FY2024/2025, highlighting Blackpool’s growing reputation as a versatile and distinctive destination for business tourism.
More broadly, this milestone represents a 220% uplift in revenue over just three years since FY2022/23 – a period that has seen significant investment in infrastructure, including the Blackpool Town Deal and the £350 million Talbot Gateway transformation project now entering its third phase and scheduled for completion in 2027.
A cornerstone of Blackpool’s growing success as a leading UK conference destination over the past three years, is the £30 million purpose-built Conference and Exhibition Centre, which opened in 2022 as a seamless extension to the historic Winter Gardens. Together, the venue offers a combined capacity of 7,000 delegates across 2,400 sqm and 12 interlinked event spaces, including iconic heritage spaces such as the Empress Ballroom, Opera House, and Spanish Hall.
This year alone, Blackpool’s Winter Gardens Conference and Exhibition Centre has hosted notable events for the likes of Beaverbrooks, National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Northern Premier League (NPL), National Farm Attractions’ Network (NFAN), The Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Chartered Trading Standards.
Looking ahead to FY2036/2027, Meet Blackpool is already on track to hit a near-70% YoY increase in revenue, with over 5 million pounds worth of booking enquires and confirmations lined up.
Continuing on this upwards trajectory, the conference bureau is expected to be bringing over £10 million per year to the town of Blackpool or a total of £30 million in total economic benefit by 2028 since the Winter Gardens extension was built in 2022.
Julie Vincent, head of Meet Blackpool, said: “We’re proud to see Blackpool’s conference economy thriving. Surpassing our annual target with several months to go reflects not just the hard work of our hospitality partners, but the confidence event organisers have in Blackpool as a credible, high-impact destination. From major conferences and exhibitions to corporate team away days, the town is proving it can deliver delegate experiences that are both outstanding and unforgettable.”
She added: “What’s more, Blackpool is showing how business tourism can be a powerful force for regeneration in coastal towns – attracting year-round footfall, boosting local spend, and helping reposition destinations that have long been seen purely as leisure resorts – as reputable business hubs.”