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Business Travel and Tourism
Market Intelligence
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Business Travel and Tourism. Contents. 1.
Why is it important?
5. Market characteristics 8. What do customers want 11. What are the opportunities 15. 10 ways it can make a difference to your business 18. Learning from success stories 22. Where to get help and further information
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Why is it important? Introducing Business Travel and Tourism Business tourism involves people traveling for a variety of purposes related to their work. It is a very large but diverse travel sector involving a wide range of motivations, requirements and destinations. Much business-related travel involves an overnight stay away from home but many business trips take place within a single day and do not include an overnight stay. In this guide the term ‘business travel’ or ‘business tourism’ includes all business-related travel (excluding commuting to work), whether or not it includes an overnight stay. There are two broad categories of business travel and tourism: 1. Individual business travel and tourism. This involves individual business people travelling as part of their work, usually to attend specific business meetings (in domestic and international destinations). This is a diverse sector which is difficult to measure and is often underestimated for this reason. 2. Collective (or group) business travel and tourism. This involves people travelling to an event or occasion that is planned in advance, has a specific purpose or focus, and is intended to cater for (sometimes very large) groups of business people. The term ‘MICE’ (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) is often used for collective business travel/tourism but does not include every type of collective business travel.1 This report focuses only on the collective business tourism sector. The main examples of collective business travel/tourism are: C onferences. This is a diverse category and includes annual conferences and AGMs organised by companies, trades associations, professional societies, charities, academic institutions, special interest groups, public sector organisations and others. A particularly lucrative market is international association meetings (held in a different country each year) which last longer and attract greater numbers of participants. • Corporate events (dinners, product launches, award ceremonies) • Training courses and events (to improve the education/skills of employees) • Corporate hospitality (where a business provides entertainment for clients or staff) • Exhibitions and trade shows/fairs (often organised by particular trade associations and with a clearlydefined theme) • Incentive travel (where companies provide travel to reward or motivate staff) • Government/public sector meetings and conferences •
1 The Business Meetings and Event Survey 2012/13 defines a conference, meeting or business event as one involving a minimum of 8 people and occupying the venue for at least 4 hours.
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Such business events frequently take place in large, purpose-built venues and many destinations invest considerable resources in attracting business visitors (who can be both domestic and international). Other business meetings take place in smaller venues within hotels or suitable attractions. Since this sector is easier to identify and measure it has tended to receive more emphasis by destination planners. Despite speculation that ‘virtual’ meetings will be the way of doing business in the future, the demand for face-to-face business meetings shows no signs of diminishing. A recent report2 identified the particular strengths of such meetings as being: 1. to capture attention (particularly when a business wants to introduce something new or different); 2. to inspire a positive emotional climate that will produce collaboration and creativity; and 3. to build human networks and relationships. Consequently, companies continue to invest in sending their staff to business meetings, conferences, exhibitions and events. However such meetings are increasingly purposeful and focused in their scope, often involve fewer participants, and companies are looking to see a return on their investment. Therefore, the market for business meetings and events is expected to grow. A recent report found that 28% of not-for-profit associations and 31% of businesses expected to organise more business events in future.3
The Business Tourism Market in the UK Business tourism is a huge market. Mintel estimates that 38% of employed UK adults take part in a business trip during the course of the year.4 Almost three-quarters of business tourism involves domestic travel. In 2012, 18.9 million domestic overnight business trips were taken in Great Britain, and there were a further 7.4 million inbound international business visits (accounting for over 31 million bed nights). Inbound business tourists made up 24% of all international visits and generated £4.5 billion in spending. Business tourism has declined significantly in recent years and has yet to return to its pre-recession levels. For example, in 2013 inbound business visits were 88% of those in 2006. However, Mintel4 forecasts that overall the business travel market will slowly increase (by 18.4%) up to 2018 as the economic recovery takes hold. In economic terms, the MICE sector is a highly significant component of business tourism: business events are estimated to account for 30% of the UK visitor economy. Some of the headlines include: • In 2011 there were 1.3 million meetings and conferences (in more than 10,000 venues). These attracted 116 million attendees, generated £19.9 billion in spending and supported 423,500 full-time jobs. Meetings are often divided into two broad categories: ‘corporate’ (private sector) and ‘associations’ (trade bodies, special interest groups, voluntary and charitable organisations, academic groups and political/trades union organisations). Corporate business events tend to involve fewer participants.
billion on accommodation, food and travel related to the exhibition itself. • Despite the recession, incentive travel remains buoyant (as companies seek to motivate staff who are uncertain about their future, and restore morale). This sector generates £1.2 billion annually. • The corporate hospitality/events sector generates £1.2 billion each year and companies continue to regard corporate hospitality as a worthwhile investment in building and consolidating business relationships. This sector is forecast to continue growing.
• In 2010 there were almost 1,600 exhibitions/ trade fairs in the UK, which attracted over 13 million people and generated £11 billion in spending. Visitors to exhibitions spent over £1.4
2 C. Duffy and M. B.McEuan, ‘The future of meetings: The case for face-to-face’, Center for Hospitality Research, Cornell University, 2010 3 British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2012/13 4 Mintel, Business Traveller UK (August 2013)
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Business Tourism in Seaside Towns
corporate hospitality and incentive travel. In addition, many coastal towns have invested heavily in providing purpose-built meeting/conference facilities and are able to offer a high-quality meeting experience.
Seaside resorts are not (with some exceptions) major centres for business travel and tourism. Of the top ten destinations for business tourism only one (Portsmouth in 10th place) is located at the coast. Some larger seaside towns are established destinations for business meetings, conferences and exhibitions. The leading coastal destinations for business meetings and events are Brighton (15th place in 2013), Bournemouth (18th place), Blackpool (21st place) and Eastbourne (22nd place). All the coastal towns in the list of top 20 destinations have been losing position in recent years to newer destinations like Liverpool, Bristol, York, Oxford and Cambridge.5
On the down side, coastal towns are perceived as difficult to get to (which deters the organisers of shorter/ one-day meetings and events). They are also sometimes perceived as being outdated and unfashionable. Moreover, the association with leisure and family holidays is perceived seen as inappropriate for some business sectors which seek instead more ‘serious’ destinations. Overall the coastal brand is not a major driver for business events.
Seaside towns have mixed reputations as destinations for MICE tourism. On the plus side they are seen as relaxing places which are conducive to building business relationships. This makes them ideal destinations for team-building activities, 5 British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2014
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Business Tourism in Bournemouth Business tourism is not a major part of Dorset’s economy, accounting for 10% of total visits to the country and 9% of total visitor spend. The 350,000 domestic and international staying business visits in 2012 represented around 1.3% of all business visits in the UK. As Table 1 indicates, Bournemouth accounts for almost a third of all business tourism within Dorset.
Table 1: Volume and Value of Business Tourism in Dorset/Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s share of Dorset’s business tourism
Staying business visitors
106,000
30.3%
Total bednights
227,000
25.2%
£23.1 million
32.4%
Revenue generated
Source: South West Research Company (2014) The Economic Impact of Dorset’s Visitor Economy 2012
However, the number of business visits to Bournemouth fell by 16.5% between 2011 and 2012. While Bournemouth has a well-established reputation as a destination for conferences and meetings it has been losing market share in recent years (having fallen from 14th place in 2009 to 18th place in 2013). A recent survey established that Bournemouth was perceived by the organisers of business meetings and events as comfortable, relaxing, unspoilt, old-fashioned and safe but, at the same time, as outdated, a destination for leisure rather than business travel, and difficult to get to. Overall, the resort had an unclear USP as a destination for business events and meetings. For more details see the Bournemouth Business Events Marketing Plan.
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Market Characteristics Most business tourism trips are of relatively short duration The average length of a business meeting/event in 2011 was 2 days (although 54% were a day or less in length). This means that geographical location and easy accessibility is crucially important for the organisers of business events. However, longer business events involving an overnight stay have increased steadily in recent years (from 21% in 2008 to 37% in 2012).6 Inbound business tourists usually stay for longer: in 2012 the average trip duration for international business visitors was more than 4 nights.
Business tourists tend to be younger and male Business tourists comprise a wide range of people travelling to different destinations for different purposes. Mintel argues that, overall, business tourists tend to be young and male. For example, 45% of working adult men have taken a business trip within the past year (compared with 30% of working women). Similarly, 50% of under-35s had taken a business trip, compared with 28% of over 45s.7 However, it is important to recognise that different types of business event can attract very different types of customers. For example, meetings of charities, academic societies, special interest groups and professional associations will tend to attract higher proportions of older people and women. This underlines he need for the organisers and providers of business events to have a clear understanding of their audience and to plan appropriately to meet their needs.
Business tourists are highly tech-savvy Since they are predominantly from Generation Y (born between 1981 and 2000) business travellers are familiar with the latest electronic technology (such as smartphones and tablets) and they use it extensively on their travels. They are also heavy internet users. This has implications for their expectations when travelling. For example, they may require contactless payments, electronic ticketing for events and exhibitions, and the ability to check into a hotel using a smartphone (a recent international survey found that 60% of business travellers did this). Some business hotels now enable guests to use their smartphone as a hotel room key. Business travellers are also more likely to use a tablet to take notes during a business event (and will therefore welcome the provision of charging facilities). 6 Events are Great Britain 7 Mintel, Business Traveller – UK (August 2013)
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Business tourists are higher-spending than leisure tourists Business tourists constitute a high-quality and high-yield market. The average business visitor spends £178 a day, considerably more than leisure visitors. Business visitors from abroad spent £611 per visit (compared with £583 by leisure visitors). The highest spenders are delegates to international association meetings. Due to its economic impact an increasing number of destinations are seeking to attract business tourism (particularly the MICE sector).
Business Tourists are increasingly taking budget options The era of austerity has not only affected consumers: businesses, too, have been seeking to cut costs. Consequently budgets for business travel have been squeezed. Many companies no longer allow first class train or plane travel. Moreover, since accommodation is the largest expenditure for those attending business meetings, fewer companies are allowing their staff to stay in 5 star hotels, with 4 star accommodation becoming the new maximum (and an increasing number of companies require their staff to stay in budget hotels). A recent development is the growth of the “poshtel” (posh hostel!) which have proved increasingly popular with business travellers. Similarly, budgets for business meetings, conferences and events are also under pressure. The organisers of business meetings and events are increasingly looking for value for money from their potential venues. In addition, the sometimes lavish business events of the pre-recession era are a thing of the past since many businesses are well aware of the negative publicity which they generated. Another market trend is for business travellers to look to cut their personal costs. Mintel has reported that almost three-quarters of business travellers did not expect to be fully reimbursed by their company for expenses incurred on a business trip.8 This has various implications since business travellers may increasingly seek to reduce what they spend on food and additional services whilst on business trips. They will be very appreciative of additional ‘perks’ when attending business events (such as discount vouchers for restaurants/ cafes or free public transport tickets). 8 Mintel, Business Traveller – UK (August 2013)
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
The organisers of business meetings and events have an ever-widening range of destinations to choose from Hosting business meetings and events is a very lucrative market which lots of destinations are eager to chase. An increasing number of destinations (both nationally and internationally) are promoting themselves as destinations for business travel and tourism and are investing in purpose-built facilities. Cities like Liverpool, Bristol and Belfast have quickly established themselves as fashionable places to host conferences and events. Business event organisers are increasingly shunning destinations which are seen as unfashionable or offering out-dated facilities. Destinations are, therefore, having to work hard to stay ‘on the radar’ of the business meetings and events industry.
Business tourists are more likely than leisure travellers to share their experiences online Many business travellers make extensive use of the internet before, during and after their travel. For example, they are more likely than leisure travellers to watch online videos and read online reviews before travelling. Similarly they tend to share their travel experiences online: 52% upload pictures of the destination, while 32% write online reviews.9 They are also more likely than leisure travellers to upload videos to review sites. This means that business travellers represent a valuable opportunity to promote positive images of a destination. 9 http://think.withgoogle.com/insights/embeds/five-stages-of-travel/index.html
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What do customers want? When looking at requirements and expectations of the MICE sector it is important to recognise that there are 2 distinct groups whose needs have to be considered: the organisers of business meetings/events, and the businesspeople who participate in them. The requirements of each group are considered separately below:
1. The organisers of business meetings, conferences and events Location is all important 61% of event organisers in 2013 gave the geographical location of the event venue as their most important consideration. Similarly, 61% stressed the importance of easy access and good road/rail links.10 This means that some destinations are always going to have a greater advantage as venues for business meetings and events, and coastal towns will have to work hard to promote their unique offers and attributes to this market.
Value for money is essential After location and access, 56% of business event organisers listed value for money as their main concern. Given the huge range of potential destinations and venues, event organisers can search around for the packages which offer the best value. This creates opportunities for seaside resorts to claim a share of the market if they are able to present an attractive and competitive offer.
Organisers expect destinations to have a ‘one-stop shop’ for business events When planning business events, organisers will expect a destination to offer a dedicated business or conference bureau. The role of such a bureau is to handle enquiries, offer help in finding venues, and undertake marketing and promotion. They also take the lead in for lobbying for the business travel market. Conference bureaus also ensure that front-of-house staff who interact with business travellers have appropriate skills and training. Such a bureau needs to have a high profile and independent identity, to be appropriately resourced, and staffed by people with appropriate expertise. If nothing else, the existence of such a body is a signal that the destination takes business travel seriously. 10 British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2014
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Event organisers increasingly require bespoke and customised packages Organisers of business events no longer want a ‘one-size-fits all’ or ‘off the shelf’ standard business meeting package. Instead, they want something which is tailored to their particular needs, meaning that destinations and venues need to look carefully at what their clients want and how they can meet these needs. In addition to specific venue and accommodation requirements, such packages might include delegate packs, support with marketing and promotion, leisure itineraries, free public transport cards, visits to local attractions, assistance and transport for exhibitors, airport transfers, and car parking options.
Conference/meetings organisers require flexible meeting spaces The organisers of business meetings and conferences require meeting spaces that offer a range of options for different types of business interaction. These include large meeting rooms but also ‘breakout’ rooms for smaller and more intimate follow-up discussions. The British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2014 found that the capacity of conference facilities was rated as more important than their quality: 39% of organisers (and 45% of associations) mentioned capacity as important in their choice of venue, against 22% who mentioned quality.
2. Delegates and business people Easy accessibility to the business venue Business people and conference/exhibition/meeting delegates will require easy and convenient transport links. If travelling by car they will expect somewhere to park. If travelling by train or plane they will want efficient and comfortable taxi services to take them to their accommodation. They will also want their hotel to be close to the meeting venue (anything more than a 10 minute walk can be a big deterrent). Businesswomen travelling alone will also want to be in a safe and well-lit environment.
Business travellers have basic expectations from their accommodation Business men and women are demanding customers and, even if travelling on a budget, have fundamental requirements of their accommodation (which, remember, they also expect to provide good value for money). These include: • Fast, reliable Wi-Fi, at no extra cost. A recent report found that 87% of customers accessed Wi-Fi when staying in a hotel and business travellers are particularly heavy users. The option to connect to hotel internet by cable is also important. • Clean and quiet rooms to ensure a good night’s sleep. • Plenty of well-lit working space and comfortable chairs (one recent survey reported that 84% of business travellers choose to work in their hotel rooms). • Coffee and tea making facilities in the room (many business people are coffee addicts!). • A hairdryer, trouser press and iron to prepare for important meetings. • Streamlined check-in procedures (which is increasingly possible using a smartphone). • Facilities to relax (such as a pool, gym or spa). • Some business travellers also welcome facilities for printing (although increasingly business meetings are paper-free).
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Business people increasingly want to live healthily on their travels Business travel is not all about indulgence. Many business travellers want to live healthy lives (particularly those regular travellers who can find the whole experience stressful). This means they will appreciate accommodation which offers them a gym, pool or spa facilities. In addition, business travellers increasingly want to eat healthily at both their hotel and the meeting/ conference venue. Therefore they will expect a range of options (including vegetarian and gluten-free options). There is increasing interest in local dishes or specialities and locally-sourced food (which also allows larger businesses to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility). 11 This creates opportunities for destinations to showcase locally-made products. Poor-quality catering can let down an otherwise successful business trip (particularly since business travellers are likely to share their experiences online).
Business travellers appreciate a vibrant environment for after-hours socialising Every conference and meeting attendee knows that some of the most important business of the day takes place during the evening when socialising and networking with other delegates. Therefore business people will want to be close to the town/city centre and will appreciate good places to eat and a vibrant bar/cafĂŠ culture. Since they are likely to share their experiences on social media and travel review sites this presents opportunities for some positive word-of-mouth publicity for the destination. 11 ‘MICE trends in 2014’, www.conference-news.co.uk/feature/2014/01/12/MICE-trends-in-2014/235
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
What are the opportunities? To understand the opportunities for MICE tourism in seaside towns it is necessary to understand the preferences of the organisers of business meetings/events in terms of venue and location. The top 6 most preferred destinations are presented in Table 2 below: Table 2: Top venues for business meetings and events
Source: British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2012/3
Venue
Overall
Corporate meetings
Association meetings
City centre hotels
55%
59%
51%
Purpose-built convention centre
27%
22%
32%
Multi-purpose venue
21%
19%
24%
Out of town (seaside, country) hotel
17%
19%
16%
Luxury venue
17% 16%
26% 7%
26% 26%
Academic venue
Realistically, seaside towns will never be the first-choice destinations for large business meetings and events. However, there are many opportunities for seaside resorts to increase their share of the business tourism market by focussing on particular forms of MICE tourism, and by highlighting the different and unusual experiences which they can offer.
Seaside resorts can target particular segments within the MICE sector Seaside towns can target particular markets that are more likely to hold business events at the seaside. The second most preferred venue is purpose-built convention centres (particularly for associations) which means continued business for those coastal towns that have invested in such facilities. There is a smaller market for out-of-town destinations (such as the seaside) which is slightly greater among the corporate sector. Academic venues are also popular for association meetings, something which those seaside towns (like Aberystwyth, Brighton, Bournemouth and Scarborough) which have a university campus can exploit.
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Overall, the association sector is more flexible about its choice of meeting venue and seaside resorts would do well to focus on this market. Bournemouth is good example to follow: its current strategy for developing business tourism identifies its primary business market as national associations, the voluntary sector, hobbyists and special interest groups, and national professional associations. Other seaside resorts could follow a similar strategy in their own parts of the country.
Most business meetings and events are small in scale
lighting have proved surprisingly popular for business meetings and events. Other unusual seaside venues include Butlins (at Bogner Regis, Minehead and Skegness), Newquay Zoo, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Margate’s Turner Art Gallery, and Weston-Super-Mare’s Grand Pier.
It may be the large exhibitions and conferences attracting hundreds of delegates which capture the headlines. But, in fact, most business meetings are much smaller in scale, and 64% of all meetings in 2011 involved less than 100 people. Smaller business events are more footloose and seaside towns are as well-placed as any destination to capture this market. Resorts can promote themselves as venues for smaller meetings of the associations sector (particularly those with a regional or local focus).
Business travel is much less seasonal than leisure travel Unlike leisure travel which predominantly takes place in the summer/school holidays, business tourism takes place all year round. One survey found that April, March, January, June and February were the most popular months for business meetings and events.13 Hosting business meetings, conferences and events is a way to generate business at quieter times of the year, and also in midweek. Obviously this is particularly relevant to seaside towns which are traditionally dependent on the summer leisure market. Keeping in mind that event organisers are seeking value for money, seaside towns can use special offers and discounts to encourage business-related travel in the quieter times of the year.
Organisers of business events appear to be willing to give new destinations a try The organisers of business events have a multitude of potential destinations and venues to choose from. The key drivers are location, access and value for money, but organisers are not necessarily loyal to the destinations and venues they have used previously. For example, only 17% of business event organisers said that previous experience of the venue was important to them (and only 7% said that internal/external perception of the venue was a consideration).
Business travellers often extend their business stays to include leisure trips
This creates opportunities for those coastal towns (particularly in the south of England) that are easily accessible from major cities (and airports) to promote themselves as ‘new’ or ‘alternative’ destinations for business events and conferences. VisitEngland predicts that unusual or off-beat venues will be increasingly popular for business meetings (particularly among the corporate sector) as a means of promoting creative thinking among business teams.12 For example the tipis (teepees) on Brighton Beach with open fires and candle
Mintel reports that 54% of business travellers are willing to extend a business trip for leisure purposes.14 This applies as much to seaside resorts as any destination. Hotels can encourage business tourists to stay longer by offering discounts to those who extend their stay for an extra night or two. They can also play their part in ensuring that the extended visit is enjoyable by providing recommendations, highlighting deals, selling tickets to attractions (for a small commission), or passing on money-off vouchers for local restaurants.
12 MICE trends in 2014’, www.conference-news.co.uk/feature/2014/01/12/MICE-trends-in-2014/235 13 The Economic Impact of the UK Meeting and Event Industry (2013) 14 Mintel, Business Traveller UK (August 2012)
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Many business travellers would like to bring their partner/family with them on business trips
Business travellers are often interested to return to their destination on a leisure visit
Many business travellers bring their partner with them on a business trip and this is a lucrative market. Those accompanying attendees at business events spent £7.7 billion in 2011. Similarly, Mintel15 reports that 20% of business travellers would like to bring their partner with them on a business trip. Therefore, hotels could offer incentives to encourage delegates to conferences and business meetings to bring their partners (through promotions, special offers and discounts) which would increase revenue generation through additional spending on food and services. Again, seaside resorts are as wellplaced as any destination to take advantage of this market, particularly given the traditional associations of the seaside with relaxation and leisure.
Business travel can be used to generate future leisure visits. For example, 40% of international business visitors to the UK can be expected to return on a leisure visit. Indeed, VIsitEngland’s current Business Tourism Action Plan16 specifically seeks to encourage future leisure travel among business tourists. Many business travellers are also parents and if they have enjoyed a business visit to a destination they may plan to return with their family. This is an important opportunity for seaside resorts in a context where cost-conscious families have embraced the ‘staycation’ and are increasingly rediscovering the British seaside (see the Families Sector Guide). Resorts can do various things to encourage future leisure visits. Hotels can offer loyalty schemes or discounts on repeat bookings. Employees in hotels and meeting venues at the seaside have an important role as ambassadors in presenting a positive and optimistic face of their resort. And, since business travellers are highly tech-savvy, resorts need to offer a free smartphone app which
15 Mintel, Business Traveller, UK (August 2013) 16 Visit England, Business Tourism Action Plan
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business travellers can download during their business visits.
Seaside towns are healthy places The Victorians believed in the health benefits of the seaside but contemporary scientific research is increasingly confirming that being beside the sea is good for physical/mental health and wellbeing. Coastal towns can promote these benefits to the business community by encouraging the organisers of business events to recognise that the relaxing environment and distinct ambiance of the seaside can refresh stressed businesspeople and encourage them to greater things. This means that the seaside is an ideal location for incentive travel - such as water sports, adventure activities (such as climbing), arts and culture, and golf. Paying attention to the health and wellbeing of their employees also enables companies to fulfil their corporate social responsibility objectives.
Seaside resorts can use their traditional associations with escape and freedom to their advantage The seaside has long been considered as a place to escape from everyday rules and routines: it is a place for doing things differently. For some in the business community, the seaside is viewed as being frivolous and not conducive to productive business meetings. However seaside resorts can use their traditional reputations to their advantage. The seaside offers a clear sense of ‘getting away’ from the everyday and going somewhere ‘different’. This makes it an ideal environment for things like teambuilding activities and creative retreats intended to generate innovative ideas. The seaside has long inspired artists and poets and there is no reason why it cannot inspire business people in the same way. There is no better place than the seaside for blue-sky thinking!
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Ways it can make a difference to your business 1. If you run a seaside hotel, B&B, restaurant, attraction or entertainment
venue, have you considered the opportunities represented by business tourists? They are less seasonal and higher spending than leisure tourists. And certain types of business tourism – particularly meetings of associations, charities and special interest groups – are more flexible about where they meet and are willing to try new destinations. Even the corporate sector is interested in unusual venues for business meetings (and also incentive travel). It’s not the case that business meetings and events will always stick to the well-established venues. Seaside towns have something unique and a little bit different to offer.
2. Free and reliable Wi-Fi is a basic necessity for today’s business travellers.
Does your accommodation, meeting venue or attraction offer free Wi-Fi? If not, then your potential business travellers will look elsewhere. The British Meetings and Events Industry Survey has identified the lack of free Wi-Fi is, by far, the single most common cause of dissatisfaction among the organisers of business meetings.17 And remember that business tourists are prolific users of social media and online review sites and will be quick to make their dissatisfaction public (even if they can’t use your Wi-Fi to do so!).
17 British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2012/13
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3. Many business tourists choose to work in their hotel bedrooms (rather than
in public areas such as lobbies or business centres). Therefore they will want plenty of desk space with good lighting (and the opportunity to connect by cable to hotel internet). Can you offer them this? Removing some unnecessary items of furniture and installing a larger desk could make a big difference for your business guests.
4. Business tourists are among the most technology-savvy of travellers. Is
your business keeping fully up-to-date with the latest trends and advances in electronic technology? For example, can you offer online bookings, contactless payments and check-in using a smartphone or tablet? Do you enable your business guests to use their smartphone as a room key? There are lots of straightforward things you can do to make life easier for your business guests. And don’t forget the importance of a social media presence so that your guests can ‘check in’ or ‘tag’ where they are staying/meeting on Facebook and Twitter.
5. Have you considered the additional trade that your business visitors could
generate? Many business travellers are keen to bring their partner with them so why not offer them the option of doing so for free? They’ll spend more overall on food and drink than a solo business traveller. Many business travellers are also interested in extending their business visit for a night or two to include a leisure stay. This is a good way to generate extra mid-week business at quiet times of the year so you can offer them incentives or discounts to do so (but don’t forget that that business tourists are also insistent on value for money).
6. Business travel can also generate future leisure visits. Research shows that
many business visitors are interested in returning to a destination with their partner or family. You can incentivise them with loyalty schemes for repeat visits or special discounts and offers. Don’t forget that many business visitors are also parents and will looking for suitable destinations for a family holiday.
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
7. Can you cater for the wellness requirements of your business visitors? They
aren’t all single-mindedly focused on closing the next deal. Many weary business travellers want to live healthily and you can help them to do so. For example, can you offer them a healthy and varied range of food (including special diets)? Being able to offer them a pool, gym or spa can be an advantage but if you don’t have these facilities then you can suggest routes for a healthy walk (or jog) in the local area. Making space in bedrooms for yoga (or just stretching) can also make the difference.
8. If you run a conference venue (or a hotel offering conference facilities) then
are you able to offer conference/meeting packages which are tailored to your clients’ needs? There are a lot of potential destinations for business meetings and organisers are increasingly less interested in off-the-shelf standard packages. Can you ensure a truly personal service to your business clients?
9. Does your resort have a clearly recognisable conference office or bureau?
Such a bureau will act as a first point of contact, offer a free venue/ accommodation finding service, and market and promote business events. They also take the lead in strategic planning for business tourism. The organisers of larger business meetings and conferences will expect to deal with such a bureau.
10. Does your resort offer a free smartphone/tablet app? Given that business
tourists are big users of smartphones and tablets they are likely to search for such an app to find out more about where they are staying. Such an app is a great opportunity to promote a resort and its attractions, as well as helping business travellers find good local restaurants and bars. It’s also possible to develop a resort app specifically targeted to the business visitor. However, many seaside resorts don’t yet offer such an app. Are you in a position to lobby for the production of one?
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Learning from success stories Photographic comparison of New Brighton Photographs 1 & 2, taken from Martin Parr’s The Last Resort: Photographs of New Brighton (1986). Photographs 3 & 4, from New Brighton (2013/2014)
1
2
3
4
Photo credits: (1,2 Magnum Photos : Martin Parr) (3. Flickr : 3Peaker) (4. Flickr : sefik_akkurt)
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
New Brighton Using business tourism to help regenerate a declining resort: New Brighton, situated on the Wirral peninsula close to Liverpool, was one of the most popular seaside resorts in North West England. From the 1960s it experienced the familiar pattern of decline and many of its iconic buildings were progressively closed and demolished. The low point was 1990 when its open-air swimming pool (the largest in Europe) was destroyed in a winter storm. For much of the 1990s and 2000s New Brighton felt like a place without a future. In 2009 a £70 million major regeneration project was launched. The centrepiece was the redevelopment of the Floral Pavilion Theatre (opened in 1913) which had come close to being demolished in the 1990s. £11 million was invested in creating a new 800-seat theatre (with state of the art sound and lighting facilities) and conference centre (featuring a range of meeting rooms of different sizes) which opened in 2011. The building also offers a riverside restaurant with stunning views across to Liverpool (www.floralpavilion. com). A new 66-bed Travelodge opened nearby in 2011 and was followed by bars and restaurants (with an outdoor seating area) and a multi-screen cinema. This has turned New Brighton into an up-and-coming leisure and retail resort catering for the Wirral market. In recent years Liverpool has strongly promoted itself as a conference/meeting venue with ambitions to be in the top five British conference destinations. There is also a policy to develop and promote smaller venues in order to share the benefits of conference/meeting tourism more widely around the City Region. New Brighton is one location which is intended to cater for such smaller conferences and events (particularly the regional market). The Floral Pavilion benefits from the comprehensive meeting/event service provided by the Liverpool Convention Bureau. It has proved an attractive venue for smaller and regional business meetings, conferences and events. In June/July 2014 it was one of the venues for the International Festival of Business in Liverpool. The Floral Pavilion won Wirral Attraction of the Year in 2013 and a Green Business Tourism Scheme Gold Award in 2013. New Brighton illustrates how business tourism can be a key element in strategies to regenerate declining resorts. What was a run-down resort only a few years ago is now an increasingly vibrant place which is proving popular with both leisure and business visitors. The combination of excellent modern facilities and a clear focus on the regional/associations business market enables the Floral Pavilion to compliment Liverpool’s rapidly growing reputation as a destination for business conferences and meetings.
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Premier Inn, Brighton Centre An award-winning seaside business hotel Premier Inn is a well-known national budget hotel chain which is shortlisted for the 2014 Business Travel Awards. Business travellers make up a significant part of its market due to its competitive pricing and perception of offering good value for money. It offers specific packages for the business market: 70 of its hotels offer competitively-priced meeting/conference facilities with free Wi-Fi for attendees, and a range of good-value catering options. Premier Inn also offers business travellers a ‘Business Account’ with faster booking and less paperwork, plus the ability to manage all expenditure online. Some of its larger hotels offer speedy checkin kiosks for busy guests. The company’s website provides information and booking facilities in 4 European languages in addition to English. Premier Inn highlights how it takes the safety of its guests seriously: a room key is needed for access to the corridors, and company policy is not to place single female travellers in ground floor rooms, or rooms at the end of corridors. Premier Inn is also wellknown for its “good night’s sleep” guarantee.
The reviews of business travellers on Tripadvisor praised the hotel for its spacious, clean and comfortable rooms. One reviewer wrote: “I have stayed here often and it compares very well to other hotels of a higher star rating with over- priced, miniature rooms”. Reviewers also highlighted the comfortable beds; quick and simple check-in; safe car parking nearby; excellent location close to the city centre, conference centre, train station and local nightlife; good-quality food; and the perception that the hotel offered value for money. The friendly and helpful staff were repeatedly mentioned: “the service received was far better, more helpful and genuinely friendly than you often receive in grander, more expensive hotels”. Those guests who had attended business meetings in the hotel also praised the facilities: “We booked the conference room for our meeting and again the facilities were superb”. Reviews of Premier Inn Brighton City Centre also highlight how business travel can generate future leisure visits. For example, reviewers said: “I was at the hotel on business but would choose to return for a holiday”; “would definitely return again as I want to visit all the shops and restaurants I missed”; and “I am booking to go back for fun this time!”
Brighton is a well-established destination for business meetings and conferences and is wellprovided with four star hotels. Premier Inn offers a cheaper alternative for business travellers on a budget. Premier Inn Brighton City Centre is well rated on Tripadvisor. It is 6th out of 43 hotels in Brighton, with 82% of guests rating it as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’. The hotel has a Tripadvisor 2014 certificate of excellence.
Seaside hotels and B&Bs can learn from Premier Inn’s attention to detail in catering for the needs of business travellers. In particular it illustrates the importance of large, quiet rooms; convenient car parking; easy check-in; a friendly welcome; and a safe and secure environment for guests. Premier Inn Brighton City Centre also demonstrates how satisfied business visitors can be persuaded to return for leisure visits.
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Sector Guide: Business Travel and Tourism
Brighton
Screenshots from the VisitBrighton App.
A good resort app for the business traveller Many seaside towns do not currently offer a resort app (and some of those which do are simply the resort’s brochure in online form). However, one excellent example is Brighton’s Android/iPhone app (VisitBrighton). It provides visitors with a wealth of easily-digestible information about where to stay; places to eat and drink; things to see and do (including local events); shopping; travel information; a range of suggested itineraries for different length stays; and other essential information (hospitals and police). It’s straightforward and easy to use. On a different scale, the potential of apps specifically orientated towards the business tourist is demonstrated by the Business Traveller City Guide for London. It provides quick access to details of hotels, restaurants and bars, business services, shops, attractions, and nightlife. It also includes an interactive map, emergency numbers, a currency converter, and a facility for users to construct their own itinerary when visiting the city. There is a big opportunity for innovative and forward-looking resorts to develop a range of resort apps including those intended specifically for the business traveller.
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Where to get help and further information For the current ‘Business Tourism Action Plan’ produced by VisitEngland see: www.visitengland.org/Images/FINAL%20Business%20Tourism%20Action%20Plan_tcm30-32563.pdf The Business, Visits and Events Partnership // www.businesstourismpartnership.com In particular, see the report ‘Events are GREAT Britain’ which is available at: www.businessvisitsandeventspartnership.com/research-and-publications/research/category/4-bvep-research British Meetings and Events Industry Survey (published annually) Further details at: // www.meetpie.com/StaticPageDisplay.aspx?code=BMEISMENU International Congress and Convention Association // www.iccaworld.com Eventia (the trade body for the British events industry) // www.eventia.org.uk A useful portal for the business events industry. // www.meetpie.com Publishes Meetings and Incentive Travel newsletter with a useful range of archived features. For articles on the health aspects of business tourism at the seaside see // www.healthbusinessuk.net For more on the experiences and requirements of business travellers see Tripadvisor business travel forums // www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g1-i12407-Business_Travel.html www.businesstraveller.com/discussion Sources used in compiling this guide • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP) (2014) Events are GREAT Britain CAT Publications (2012) British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2012/13. CAT Publications (2014) British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2014. Meeting Professionals International (2013) The Economic Impact of the UK Meeting and Event Industry Meeting Professionals International (2013) Economic Impact: Bringing more Meetings to your City Mintel (2012) Business Traveller – UK- August 2012 Mintel (2013) Business Traveller – UK- August 2013 National Coastal Tourism Academy (2014) Bournemouth Business Events Marketing Plan Oxford Economics (2012) The Economic Impact of the UK Exhibitions Industry South West Research Company (2014) The Economic Impact of Dorset’s Visitor Economy 2012 Tony Rogers Conference and Event Services/CHS Group (2013) Conference Tourism Action Plan for Bournemouth VisitBritain (2012) Foresight Issue 110 (December 2012) Visit England (no date) Business Tourism Action Plan VisitScotland/VisitWales/VisitEngland (2013) The GB Tourist 2012
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