BVEP - Business Visits and Events Partnership

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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HBAA - “Once more the meetings, events and accommodation sector has been ignored by the Chancellor. It is deeply disappointing.”

“What more does our industry have to do to be recognised and appreciated at the highest levels of government?”

Simon Richards, Treasurer of HBAA and Managing Partner of Convenus says: “The Meetings, Events, and Accommodation sector urgently needs extra, specific financial support but once more the Chancellor has chosen to ignore the sector in today’s Budget.

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mia reveals business meetings events unlikely to recover until 2023

Business meetings and events budgets are not expected to return to pre-COVID levels until at least 2023, according to the latest research by the Meetings Industry Association (mia). 

Compiled in collaboration with ABPCO, AIEA, Edge Venues, Headbox, and Venue Directory and many others, the research revealed how it could take another two years for the sector to completely bounce back from the impact of COVID-19.

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APPG for Events - STATEMENT ON THE GOVERNMENT’S ROADMAP FOR LEAVING LOCKDOWN

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG) welcomes the publication of the Governments coronavirus roadmap, announced by the Prime Minister on Monday, which sets out the gradual lifting of restrictions, and in particular the optimism this provides for the UK’s event sector, which continues to face enormous challenges.

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HBAA - 'Urgent sector financial support is needed for businesses to survive'

Juliet Price, Consultant Executive Director of HBAA commented:

“The government roadmap is a welcomed indication of when we should see the reopening of the meetings, events and accommodation sector. We now have dates for all of us to work towards and to plan the rebuilding and recovery of this resilient industry.

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BVEP consulted on recognition of event professional qualifications as part of UK-EU Trade & Cooperation Agreement

The BVEP is being consulted by the Department of Culture, Digital, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the recognition of professional qualifications. This is part of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (Brexit Deal) which provides a framework under which the UK and the EU may agree Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs). Any agreement would potentially enable UK event professionals to secure recognition for their professional qualifications within EU Member States.

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Prospects for Restarting Outdoor Events

The following is a summary of the briefing from Tom Rodden, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Digital, Media, Culture & Sport (DCMS), to Events Industry Forum Members on Wednesday, 10th February, 2021.

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Event Professionals - on the Road to Government Recognition

The Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP) the official umbrella body and advocacy group for the UK events industry together with the Institute of Event Management (IEM) have submitted comments to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) with proposed revisions and additions to their SOC2020 draft.

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BVEP says latest research shows an industry on the brink of collapse

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) have said that with still no sign of a roadmap to reopening, event businesses, suppliers and event professionals, having faced nearly a year without trading and employment, are now on the brink of collapse from the lack of government support.

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EIA - Thousands of businesses across England facing further job losses or bankruptcy due to local authorities failing to pay up to £1.4bn of emergency COVID-19 grants

Freedom of Information Request by the Events Industry Alliance to Local Authorities across England has shown that an estimated 87 per cent of the £1.6bn Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funds announced by the UK Government have yet to be paid out to companies, despite the scheme being launched four months ago

The ARG scheme was announced in October to help businesses forced to close due to COVID-19 restrictions, including those in the events, exhibitions and hospitality sectors

Businesses closed by COVID-19 restrictions face being forced into making further job cuts or bankruptcy due to local council delays.

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