Destination management organisation, Experience Oxfordshire, hosted an in-person networking event for partners and guests.

The event, which as the first in-person meeting hosted by Experience Oxfordshire since the pandemic, took place on 18 August. It brought together partners to discuss the next steps for rebuilding post-covid.

On 18 November 2021 at the Royal Lancaster London, HOSPACE, the annual conference of the Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA), a non-profit educational organisation, is for the first time set to be a dual affair. HOSPA has partnered with HTNG, a Chicago-based technology solutions association and committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), to share hosting responsibilities to build upon the success of HOSPA’s 2020 hybrid event.  

Harrogate Convention Centre hosted its first event since being converted to a nightingale hospital, The Home and Gift Buyers’ Festival and the Manchester Furniture Show took place on 18-21 July.

The event attracted 10,000 visitors to Harrogate, with an estimated economic impact of £750,000. All attendees were required to certify either two vaccinations at least two weeks prior to attending or a negative NHS Lateral Flow Test at least 48 hours before attending.

The QEII Centre, London, has created a cartoon series to celebrate the UK events industry’s ability to meet face-to-face once again. 

Diane Waldron, director of sales and marketing at The QEII Centre, said: “The business meetings and events industry has done a phenomenal job over the last 18 months despite most face-to-face events not being able to go ahead.”

Event planners must be flexible with venues on service-level agreements (SLAs) according to the trade association for the UK meetings, events and accommodation industry, HBAA.

The organisation is calling for revisions of existing SLAs due to nationwide staff shortages and a huge rise in enquiries and bookings, but confirmations remain low.

Cumbria Tourism has teamed up with Event Guides Ltd to create an interactive digital guide, dubbed the ‘Experiences Adventure Guide’.

The launch of the guide is part of the ‘The Perfect Place To Be’ recovery marketing campaign. It aims to provide people of all ages the inspiration to try new activities across Cumbria.