Conference call

IT'S almost as though the battle-weary staff in the conference marketing office of the York Tourism Bureau are too afraid to believe - or announce - their luck.

Maybe, they suggest timidly, these fabulous latest figures for conference interest are literally too good to be true. They only have localised data - showing inquiries made through them at their base in George Hudson Street - and not the whole picture of the level of interest shown directly at more than 50 individual hotels, halls and conference venues.

But the truth is that we are not likely to get these figures. Rival establishments in the city regard them as too commercially sensitive to place on public record.

The York Tourism Bureau's assessments are all we have and after a series of disasters spawned by floods of 2000 and foot and mouth which ended last year, they show a remarkable turnaround..

There were 120 inquiries received between April 1 and July 31 which translated into 45 definite bookings so far. The figure represents a 27 per cent increase over last year.

It suggests that the Bureau is perhaps on target to even better its latest April to April figures showing it generated £370,000 worth of business.

But if you're still not convinced then consider the latest figures for York's leisure tourism. Back in April and May bed and room occupancy figures were down by an average of six per cent compared with the same period last year; new figures for June announced today are 1.8 per cent up on June, 2001.

And a 1.8 per cent increase is huge. On the basis of the usual four million visitors a year to York it means an extra 72,000 people.

This goes with the grain of latest British Tourist Authority statistics which show that for the first time spending in the UK by business tourism visitors has exceeded that of leisure visitors. In 2001 business tourism spend in Britain accounted for more than £3.5 billion - a record 33 per cent of all spending by international visitors to the UK. This has increased year on year since it was 26 per cent in 1993

Kay Hyde, the pubic relations manager of the First Stop York tourism partnership, said: "We hope this really is the beginning of a turnaround and that visitor numbers for York are back on track after what has been a difficult start to the year.

"We also hope that the evidence shows that conference bookings will reflect the general success. On the business side York is gaining a reputation as one of the top conference destinations in the UK. It has taken some time to get this message through.

"We have had to compete with the likes of Harrogate, Manchester and Birmingham, who all have a huge conference infrastructure.

"We also have wonderful facilities, but with the added advantage of being one of the most beautiful cities in Britain.We are therefore working hard to ensure that conference delegates come to the city earlier and stay longer. It is important that we maintain the impetus of conference success not least because the city benefits from conference spending to the tune of an estimated £75 million per year.

There are good omens: The Society of Editors starts its three-day conference at Le Meridien Hotel, York, on October 13 - benefits to the city gleaned from the fact that its president is Liz Page, editor of the Evening Press, York

As many as 700 delegates from the National Association of Head Teachers arrive in York for their two-day annual conference at York's Barbican starting May 3. It should generate hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of revenue

"We'll be encouraging delegates to bring their partners and to stay longer in the city. In line with the British Tourist. Authority's business campaign, York is working hard to ensure that business tourism also creates add-on stays - thus increasing our income from leisure tourism."

The surge of interest in York contrasts with the slow start at the CONFEX exhibition in London in February, where visitors to the York stand were ten per cent down on the previous year, but by March things were looking up.

At the Yorkshire Corporate Hospitality Show at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, York promoters met 40 new local and regional buyers.

Interest built up pressure with distribution of 6,000 York conference guides, with the launch of a new website, www.conferenceyork.com and with a number of new venues coming on stream.

These include a new conference room for 25 plus a smaller meeting room for up to 12 at Bishopthorpe Palace, home of the Archbishop of York; two new function rooms at the Parsonage Country House Hotel, Escrick; and a large function room for up to 500 delegates, plus smaller "breakout" rooms, will feature in the redevelopment of the Ebor stand at York racecourse when it opens next May.

Updated: 09:38 Tuesday, August 27, 2002