Amy Moore previews Best of Britain & Ireland, which takes place at the NEC Birmingham

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Dates: Wednesday, March 11 & Thursday, March 12, 2015

Opening Times: 1000hrs-1700hrs (Wednesday) & 1000hrs-1600hrs (Thursday)

Best of Britain & Ireland (BOBI) will bring together the largest number of UK and Irish venues, destinations and attractions, during a key buying time of the year.

With the domestic tourism industry worth £127billion, Best of Britain & Ireland will see 300+ exhibitors, expecting to attract around 3,000 trade visitors. Best of Britain & Ireland has become an established event for those wishing to meet and conduct business with key decision makers who are responsible for planning and sourcing holidays, trips, tours, breaks, meetings and events, in addition to those within the industry wanting to offer their clients new experiences. Best of Britain & Ireland is supported by leading players within the tourism sector including the Tourism Society, VisitEngland, Visit Wales, Tourism Ireland, VisitScotland, Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), Coach Tourism Council (CTC) and ETOA. The continued interest in Best of Britain & Ireland highlights the growing upturn in business confidence and the demand for an event that showcases and celebrates the value of tourism to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 2015 will see the launch of an international hosted buyer programme, which aims to attract key buyers from Europe.

Networking at Best of Britain & Ireland 2014.

Additionally, Best of Britain & Ireland will be working closely with exhibitors and sponsors to run a VIP buyer programme, offering financial responsibility and the authority to undertake business. Organised alongside the exhibition are a series of highly topical, focussed seminar sessions, which will further help visitors develop their businesses. They will directly impact on group travel organisers, travel agents, tour operators and industry associations, with access to the Best of Britain & Ireland seminars included in the free visitor pass. One of the programme’s highlights includes the Tourism Political Question Time, organised in conjunction with The Tourism Society.

This will see the UK’s leading political parties sharing ideas on how they will champion the tourism sector if they come to power after the General Election in May 2015. Additionally, the seminar programme will include an exclusive presentation by Resorts World – the UK’s first integrated destination leisure complex set to open next to the NEC in 2015. The complex will host a 50-unit outlet centre, 11 restaurants, a 178-room four-star boutique hotel, an Asian themed spa, a range of bars, an 11-screen IMAX cinema and an international casino. It will also be home to the VOX – operated by the ICC – which is a state-of-the-art banqueting and conference centre with the capability to host up to 900 delegates. The full seminar programme includes:

Wednesday, March 11 1100hrs: ‘General Election’ Tourism Question Time – The Tourism Society, 1345hrs: Domestic Tourism – Past Its Peak Or On The Road To New Highs? – Travel Weekly/Travel GBI, 1445hrs: Venues 2015 And Beyond – M&IT 1545hrs: Changing The Face Of Birmingham (VIP Only) – Resorts World, Thursday, March 12 1030hrs: Big Or Small – Getting Noticed By GTOs – Coach Monthly, 1145hrs: Changing The Face Of Birmingham (Open To All) – Resorts World & 1400hrs: Where’s Technology Taking The Travel Industry?

WHY ATTEND BEST OF BRITAIN & IRELAND?

Best Of Britain & Ireland offers the opportunity to meet with the largest gathering of UK and Ireland destinations, attractions and venues, to book meetings with exhibitors in advance, make new business contacts, attend networking events, attend free educational seminars and visit feature areas. Visitors can register for free at www.bobievent.com

MEETING AREA -The Meeting Area provides the perfect place to hold an informal meeting with any exhibitors you wish to connect with.

HOTEL LOBBY (SUPPORTED BY HUDSON'S MEDIA) - Hotel Lobby offers visitors the opportunity to meet with 10 independent hotels face-to-face at their boutique pods.

CLUB LOUNGE (SUPPORTED BY VISITENGLAND) - Take a break at the Club Lounge, where you can meet and network with the VisitEngland team.

BRITAIN'S HERITAGE (SUPPORTED BY HUDSON'S MEDIA) - Britain's Heritage covers everything from castles to gardens, where visitors can discover 10 top heritage attractions.

MEETING PLANNER - Meeting Planner is the essential tool to plan your visit – pre-book meetings with exhibitors to create your own schedule.

FREE SEMINARS - Four sessions per day will keep you up-to-date.

Exhibitors at Best of Britain & Ireland include many regional tourist boards, hotels, leading attractions, venues, organisers and industry suppliers. For the full exhibitor list pick up a hard copy or alternatively, visit www.bobievent.com/exhibitor-list/