Business Tourism Boost for Staffordshire

Business tourism in the region has received a boost as Keele University Conferences and Events reveals that more than 120,000 delegates came to events on the campus in 2012.

More than 3,000 conferences or events took place at the university last year, bringing income to the region from across the UK. 2013 looks set to see Keele University Conferences and Events build on these results, with a number of high profile bookings already confirmed and investment work taking place at both Keele Hall, the largest conference venue in Staffordshire, and the main campus facilities.

Keele University Conferences and Events will also be attending key industry events, such as the Charities and Associations Exhibition (CHASE) and Confex in London, to help raise its profile both nationally and internationally.

As well as offering excellent facilities, figures from 2012 show that the service offered by the events team is also a major draw for event organisers. Almost 90% of customers were satisfied or very satisfied with staff at the venue and this figure rises to 97% for those who stay for residential conferences or events. In addition, 60% of those booking events at Keele were customers who had previously held events at the university.

Sam Booth, Head of Conferences and Events at Keele University, comments: “2012 was a very successful year for Keele University Conferences and Events with high profile organisations, such as Universities UK and the British Society of Gerontology, choosing Keele for their annual conferences. We are also delighted to see that we have so many loyal customers and feel this reflects how we work with our clients to understand and meet their needs.

“By investing in our facilities and providing a flexible and tailored offer, we hope to increase the number of events we hold and business tourists we bring to the region in the coming year.”

Keele University Conferences and Events has a large range of impressive spaces to accommodate everything from small team meetings to 600-delegate events, including the magnificent grade two listed Keele Hall. All bookings are managed by a dedicated events team who will put together a flexible inclusive package offering accommodation, free parking, WIFI and state of the art AV equipment.

For more information at Keele University Conferences and Events call 01782 732020 or visit www.keele-conference.com