A report commissioned by Bath Tourism Plus (BTP) on Bath’s conference and events market has revealed that in 2011 there were an estimated 3750 business events held in Bath bringing in £24.4m to the city – up 15% compared to 2009.

The report which has been produced by TEAM Tourism consulting measures the value and characteristics of Bath’s conference and events market and draws upon data provided by conference venues across the city to the UK Events Market Trends Survey (UKEMTS).

Other key findings from the report reveal that an estimated 161,000 delegates attended business events in the city in 2011, with an average event duration of 1.6 days. The corporate sector accounted for the majority of events – some 74%, while the average Day Delegate Rate (DDR) achieved was £51 (compared to the UK average of £41).

These findings coincide with BTP’s continued marketing drive to encourage more conference and event organisers to bring their business to Bath. The campaign includes attendance at key national and international exhibitions and the re-launch of the city’s Conference Venues website, www.bathconference.co.uk. 

Launched at the end of July, the website features a fresh new design and enhanced functionality that enables organisers to enter their requirements and search over 40 Bath venues to find the perfect venue for their meeting, conference or incentive trip.  For those who require extra help, the new system also allows users to complete an enquiry form, which is sent directly to staff at Bath Tourism Plus, who are able to provide expert advice.

Nick Brooks Sykes Chief Executive at Bath Tourism Plus says: “These figures are a tremendous boost for the city and highlight the valuable contribution business tourism makes to Bath’s visitor economy. In our strategy, we set ourselves a target of attracting 169,000 business delegates to Bath by 2014, so it’s great to see that we’re already well on the way to achieving this.”