Senior industry professionals backed Britain at the launch of the Britain for Events 2012/13 campaign.
 
More than 100 events industry professionals attended the launch at IET London: Savoy Place as well as representatives from Government and business including UK Sport, the Tourism Alliance, destination management companies and UK Border Agency.
 
Michael Hirst, Chair of the Business Visits & Events Partnership launched the campaign with the messages Britain for Events is carrying to media, business and government audiences. He also unveiled the ‘Events are GREAT Britain’ creative for the first time in the UK.
 
The event included a panel discussion featuring Zibrant MD Fay Sharpe, ITV head of events and hospitality Katie Resnick, International Confex group director Jonny Sullens, and IET head of events Alex Mitchell.
 
“ITV is falling in love with Britain again, all the street festivals and activity from 2012 has show what a fabulous time it is for British events and the eyes of the world eyes are on us,” Resnick said.
 
Sharpe claimed 2012 is going to be a tough year and there is still work to do, but believed the Britain for Events initiative is the way to get the industry through.
 
“2013 will also be tough and as an industry we need to show our creativity to attract business into the UK and encourage corporates to keep business here too,” she said.

“The standard of delivery from event organisers in the UK is the highest in Europe. I love Britain, we need to back Britain.”
 
Sullens agreed the industry has a fantastic proposition, with people that are passionate about events. “Executives should write to their local MPs, tell them about their business and the impact they have on the local economy,” he said.
 
“We need to present a united front with every aspect of the meeting and events industry all pushing towards the same aims; unity is important,” Mitchell added.
 
Britain for Events is an annual campaign running from April to March and culminating at International Confex on 19-21 March 2013.

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