Suzanne Watson, Business Development Manager and Rachael Molyneux, International Conference Bidding Manager from our Liverpool Convention Bureau team attended MeetGB Virtual on Wednesday 17th and Tuesday 23rd June.
VisitBritain – in partnership with MeetEngland, VisitScotland Business Events, Meet in Wales, Tourism Northern Ireland and London Convention Bureau – invited event planners and agencies to discover the best of the UK’s business events at MeetGB Virtual.
MeetGB Virtual educated meeting and event planners on the UK’s extensive business events offering, helping to discover exciting possibilities for future events. There were updates and opportunities to learn about new products and innovations and create long-lasting business connections with the UK events industry.
Why we attended
This was a virtual showcase for the organisers of international events to discover the possibilities available across the UK. Explore and meet UK destinations and convention bureaus, plus industry suppliers, venues, hotels, agencies and destination management companies (DMCs). A chance to get up to date with the latest innovations and new event and incentive possibilities.
Over two days, the virtual event provided opportunities, both formal and informal, to meet and do business with MICE buyers from across Europe, North America and UK.
How it worked
Each destination partner had up to 40 one to one pre-scheduled meetings; each meeting lasting approximately 10 minutes long. These were divided across two days, with two sessions per day. The first day was attended by US buyers only and the second day was attended by EU and UK buyers only. Running alongside the pre-scheduled meetings there were buyer visitors attending the event openly walking the floor chatting with the destinations.
MeetGB Virtual was a virtual exhibition featuring more than 60 UK suppliers. We virtually ‘walked the exhibition floor’ and used live chat with the UK’s meetings industry. We created valuable new business connections and clients discovered what’s new in the UK for their future events.
In this new virtual environment, the event timings had to cater to many different time zones, allowing business meetings and connections across the UK, Europe; North America and beyond.
Throughout the event Suzanne and Rachael caught up with peers in other destinations, networked with existing and new industry contacts and made new business connections with clients which we have followed up to discuss their enquiries and RFP’s (request for proposal’s) for the future.
