BVEP - Business Visits and Events Partnership

New Plan to Drive Rapid Recovery of Tourism Sector

Tourism Recovery Plan to help sector build back better from the pandemic

Plan aims to recover domestic tourism to pre pandemic levels by 2022 and international tourism by 2023 - both at least a year faster than independent forecasts predict

New initiatives to boost tourism include £10 million National Lottery Days Out scheme to support attractions and a new rail pass to encourage domestic breaks

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Event Guidance for Wales

New guidance for event organisers of regulated gatherings in Wales during the coronavirus pandemic has been published. Please see guidance at https://gov.wales/keep-wales-safe-creating-covid-safe-events-html

VisitBritain launches new Domestic Support Fund to kick-start the return of business events in the UK

Applications have opened for VisitBritain’s Domestic Support Fund, a new initiative to kick-start the recovery of the UK business events industry.

The £100,000 Domestic Support Fund is available for not-for-profit organisations and charities hosting meetings, conferences and events in the UK from 21 June to 17 December 2021. Events from 100 to 500 delegates taking place in the UK are eligible to apply, with the fund opening for bids from 9 June 2021. The financial support available is based on the number of delegates attending with up to £15,000 available for each event.

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VisitBritain/VisitEngland sets out priorities to support tourism recover and rebuild

National tourism agency VisitBritain/VisitEngland is bringing tourism industry leaders together at its annual review event on Tuesday 25 May to set out its priorities to support the sector to recover and rebuild.

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Applications for the Business Events Growth Programme 2021/22 are now open!

The Business Events Growth Programme support the attraction of international business events and the growth of the international profile of business events in the UK. The programme has two funding strands: ‘Bid Enhancement and Support’ for UK cities bidding for international events; and ‘International Delegate Growth’ which supports existing business events to boost international delegate profile and attendance.

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Tourism Alliance - Tourism employment survey (deadline 28th May)

With the reopening of the tourism and hospitality sectors, one of the main issues that is arising is staff shortages with many businesses reporting that they are finding it difficult to recruit the staff they need. As such, at a recent Tourism Alliance Board meeting, it was agreed to undertake a short survey across the industry to gauge the extent of the problem so that this can be fed through to Government.

Please distribute this short survey (10-question-survey for businesses which takes less than 5 minutes to complete) to your members and ask then to complete it by 28 May 2021.

Here is the link - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/9NBT6XX

BVEP Calls on Industry for Contributions for 'Shape of Events to Come' Report

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) is seeking contributions from businesses and organisations across the events sector for its upcoming report, ‘The Shape of Events to Come,’ which it plans to launch next month.

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Statement of Support on COVID-Status certification

The live events and music industry will work with the Government on COVID-status certification to support full reopening and sector recovery.

Please see below the Statement of support. 

Information on the Event Research Programme.

Information about the Event Research Programme (ERP) has been published on GOV.UK on 19th April. The guidance covers measures in place, information for attendees, how to travel to a venue safely and staying overnight. Find out more information at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-about-the-events-research-programme-erp-paving-the-way-for-larger-audiences-to-attend-sport-theatre-and-gigs-safely-this-summer.

BTA's statement following the Global Travel Task Force Traffic Light System announcement

“Today’s report from the Global Travel Taskforce is yet another hammer blow to the business travel industry.

Whilst we welcome the acknowledgement of the importance of business and leisure travel to the UK economy, this theoretical framework provides no more certainty than the Prime Minister’s brief comments on Monday night.

The traffic light system is something we have long campaigned for. However, it is only one piece of the jigsaw if the aviation, business and leisure travel industries are to survive.

We urgently ask the Government to at the very least maintain the current furlough scheme until September for the entire travel supply chain. This will hopefully enable us to contribute to UK plc as soon as it is safe to do so”, says Clive Wratten, Chief Executive of The Business Travel Association.

UK meeting, events and accommodation agency staff numbers have fallen by 39% in 12 months, according to new HBAA member survey

There has been an average reduction of 39 per cent in full time equivalent positions within agencies in the meeting, events and accommodation industry since February 2020, according to a new HBAA survey due to be published in April.

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New Organised Events Guidance for Local Authorities Published

The new events guidance for local authorities has just been published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-organised-events-guidance-for-local-authorities/coronavirus-covid-19-organised-events-guidance-for-local-authorities.

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Michael Hirst OBE Joins DMO Review Expert Group

Michael Hirst OBE, Chair of the UK Events Industry Board and Executive Committee members of the BVEP has been appointed to the DMO Challenge Panel following the UK government’s announcement last month on an independent review into Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) across England.

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Joint APPG Letter to Robert Courts MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Please see below a copy of joint letter sent to Robert Courts MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State by the APPG for Events and the APPG for Business Travel on 25th March 2021. 

Open Letter to PM on Reopening (24 March 2021)

Please find below a copy of the letter that has been sent to the Prime Minister. It has been signed by Simon Hughes on behalf of BVEP and other Partners have also signed the letter. 

One Industry One Voice - #wecreateexperiences B2C campaign update (26.03.2021)

We’ll purely focus on the  We Create Experiences  campaign here, with more OIOV and taskforce updates next week.The B2C version of the #WeCreateExperiences campaign is activating next week on Tuesday 30^th of March, on the back of the successful B2B campaign in December 2020, so we need your support on social media to ensure the key messages are shared far and wide. 

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The BTA Calls for UK to Lead International Travel Recovery

The Business Travel Association (BTA) is today calling for the UK Government to lead the international community in implementing global standards on testing and health certification as part of the recovery in travel.

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Meetings with DCMS Chief Scientific Advisor - UPDATE

Please see below a summary of the briefing with Tom Rodden, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Digital, Media, Culture & Sport (DCMS) to members of the Events Industry Forum on the 24th February and Business Events stakeholders on Tuesday, 16th February, 2021 and Wednesady 17th March 2021 (NEW).

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Launch of New Research - The UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2021

UK conference and meeting venues are being encouraged to take part in the 2021 ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’ (UKCAMS), which is being launched today. This vital research into the UK’s conference and meetings sector, now in its 28th consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues.

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Call for views on independent review of Destination Management Organisations including their work on business tourism and business events

The review of England’s Destination Management Organisations (DMOs is now open for responses and will close at 11.45pm on 28 April 2021. The independent review will assess how DMOs across England are funded and structured, and how they perform their roles, in order to establish whether there may be a more efficient and effective model for supporting English tourism at the regional level. The survey questionnaire includes specific questions on the work of DMOs to promote business tourism and events. Those interested in submitting a should complete this online survey. More information on the review is available here.

Terms of reference for the Events Research Programme have been published

The Government has published the terms of reference for the Events Research Programme, which was committed to in the roadmap.

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BVEP says venue site visits for business events will be permitted from 29th March

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) have today confirmed that following representation and discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) the Cabinet Office have now agreed that after March 29th, when the stay at home restriction is lifted, visiting a business event venue for the purpose of viewing the venue for a future booking for a work based event, even if the venue is otherwise closed, will be permitted if this cannot be reasonably done remotely.

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EIA open letter to DCMS and BEIS (11 March 2021)

In an open letter to DCMS and BEIS released on 11th March 2021, EIA requests the urgent publication of detailed information on the Events Research Programme, along with the issuing of specific guidance as to when the events and exhibitions sectors will be given clarity about the basis on which it will be allowed to repopen. Read open letter below.

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EIF - Supply chain support sadly side-lined

Outdoor events contribute over £30 billion in Gross Added Value to the UK economy and generate considerable commercial value to others in the communities where they take place. The Southampton Boat Show, for example, generates over £30 million in sales annually for local businesses in Hampshire.

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Briefing Note on Updated Roadmap Guidance for the Events Sector

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) have been working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) to clarify the situation regarding the conditions under which events can operate from the 17th May & 21st June and have provided the following update to both Step 3 and Step 4 of the Governments Re-Opening Roadmap.

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Statement from the BVEP on the Budget

BVEP welcomes the Chancellor’s additional business support but will need to understand how much of this will support event businesses through to their sustained recovery.

The Chancellor has responded to the Partnership’s ask for extensions to current business support through the announcements on the extension of the furlough scheme, support for the self-employed, the introduction of the Restart Grants and the extension of business rates relief and VAT.

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