BH Live and Business Events Bournemouth are finalists in this year’s Dorset Tourism Awards.
This is in recognition of the significant contribution they make to the region’s prosperity, generating millions of pounds for the local economy and supporting thousands of jobs through business tourism.
BH Live is the South Coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues; a social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives. The organisation manages the region’s largest event venue, Bournemouth International Centre, in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council.
Business Events Bournemouth is the region’s conference delegate booking, venue finding and destination marketing hub. Since 2014, with the support of the town’s business improvement districts, steering groups and Bournemouth Borough Council, Business Events Bournemouth has been leveraging the town’s status as a major business destination to encourage more organisations to host meetings and events in Bournemouth’s purpose-built venues and hotels.
In a collaborative entry, both organisations are up for the Venue and Business Tourism Award aimed at organisations that excel in the business tourism sector.
“In 2015/2016, BH Live generated close to £54 million for the local economy as a result of our activities in business tourism,” says Pat Coyne, BH Live’s Director of Venues. “We work in close partnership with our town partners through the new and fully integrated service, Business Events Bournemouth, and together, have succeeded in making Bournemouth the premier business event destination in the South of England.”
Karina Gregory, Business Events Bournemouth Manager adds “Enriched delegate experiences, a dedicated online delegate room booking service, and strong relationships with hotels and other businesses throughout the town, have boosted Bournemouth’s appeal by enabling organisers to access everything we offer through a single point of contact.”
This year’s awards have seen a 40% increase in entries and close competition between the best across Dorset tourism’s industry. Entrants went through a three-stage judging process, taking into account websites, reviews, social media and a wide programme of mystery visits.
Robin Barker of Services for Tourism, who created and manages the awards programme, says: “Dorset is one of England’s most spectacular and attractive destinations with many outstanding tourism businesses. It is gratifying to see them being identified in this growing programme and to reward them for their innovation, dedication and excellence.”
The awards ceremony will take place at The Tank Museum, Bovington on Thursday, 13 October 2016.
Winners and finalists will automatically be considered for matching categories in the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in February 2017, with the chance to go on to represent Dorset at the National VisitEngland Awards later in the year.
Find out more about the awards at dorsettourismawards.org.uk
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Notes to Editors:
For more information about BH Live please contact:
Elizabeth Symmons, PR & Corporate Communications Executive
E: press.office@bhlive.org.uk
T: (01202) 055562
About Bournemouth International Centre
Bournemouth International Centre is managed and operated by BH Live in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council.
With licensed capacity for 10,000 delegates, it is the South Coast’s largest and most versatile event venue. Four main halls and numerous smaller meeting and hospitality areas can be blended and scaled to host multi-hall conferences, exhibitions, meetings, sports events and concerts. In 2015/2016, more than 118,000 delegates attended events at the centre, bringing an estimated £66.3 million to the local economy through business and cultural tourism. Visit www.bhlive.org.uk/business
About BH Live
BH Live is the South Coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues; a social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives.
With more than three million visits a year and over £36.5 million turnover, the organisation is changing lives – placing it at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.
In 2015/16 BH Live hosted more than 500 events, sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment tickets. They welcomed 2.4 million active participants into its leisure centres and 118,000 conference and exhibition delegates into its venues. This contributed an estimated £66.3 million to the local economy through business and cultural tourism.
Get social with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter @BHLIVE_UK
About Business Events Bournemouth
Business Events Bournemouth is the official conference destination marketing, venue finding and delegate booking hub for businesses and groups organising conferences, exhibitions, seminars, workshops and meetings.
BH Live, Bournemouth Borough Council, and the town’s Business Improvement Districts (BID), supported by BAHA, work in partnership with Buiness Events Bournemouth to promote Bournemouth as a business event destination and provide a single point of contact for venue finding and delegate reservations.
Twitter @B2BBournemouth
For more information about Business Events Bournemouth, please contact:
Karina Gregory
T: 01202 055556
info@businesseventsbournemouth.org.uk