Experience Oxfordshire Venues announced its membership of the mia (Meetings Industry Association) and the launch of a new digital Venues Guide for Oxfordshire.
Experience Oxfordshire Venues (operated by Experience Oxfordshire) is a promotional and referral service for venues and suppliers across Oxfordshire that links buyers to products, venues and suppliers to drive bookings into Oxfordshire.
This autumn the team from Experience Oxfordshire, the destination management organisation, will attend a series of international trade events ensuring the county’s unique range of venues and experiences is showcased to the meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry (MICE) from across the globe, with more details to be announced about an extensive trade programme.
Spending on average 54% more per visit than other inbound travellers to the UK, the MICE sector is back on track post-pandemic. The Events Industry Council (EIC) has stated that 81% of global direct spending was recovered in 2022 and with spending in 2024 expected to hit pre-pandemic levels, Experience Oxfordshire is working hard to ensure the county benefits from this. Prior to the pandemic business visits and events activity accounted for 29% of visitor visits to Oxfordshire.
Meetings will take place with carefully selected buyers and bookers from the travel trade across America and Europe starting in San Francisco this week at VisitBritain’s Destination Britain North America flagship event.
The Experience Oxfordshire Venues Referral Service has received recent requests for advice and information from USA, UAE, China and Scandinavia as well as from enquirers within the UK and their increased programme of activity aims to build on this pipeline.
This week the team will publish the latest edition of the Digital Experience Oxfordshire Venues Guide, 50 pages highlighting the range, diversity and depth of quality of the venues and experiences available within the county.
In addition to investing in trade activity and new promotional assets, Experience Oxfordshire Venues have had their destination application for mia approved, which shows their commitment to quality and standards across the meetings, incentive, conferencing and events sectors.
Commenting on the importance of this sector and Experience Oxfordshire’s response to the opportunity, Chief Executive, Hayley Beer-Gamage said: “We recognise the importance of maintaining the county’s profile within the business visits and events sector both internationally and here at home. We have recently received accreditation from the Meetings Industry Association, which demonstrates Oxfordshire’s commitment as a destination to attracting this market and we look forward to working with the mia to grow the value of this sector.
“Our latest edition of Experience Oxfordshire’s Venues Guide showcases the fabulous range and the unique products and experiences offered by venues and suppliers across the county. It also highlights the county’s location with easy access from points of arrival within the UK, which is also a major selling point. On every level Oxfordshire is the perfect place to host an event.”
Kerrin MacPhie, CEO of the Meetings Industry Association said: “As the leading association supporting and growing the business meetings and events industry in the UK, our role is to drive best practice and to champion excellence in this sector. We are delighted that Experience Oxfordshire has joined the mia at this exciting time for the business meetings and events industry in the UK.”
“Oxfordshire has a wonderful selection of meeting, conference and event venues from UNESCO world-heritage palaces and ancient libraries to high-tech venues. Its diverse range of venues is suitable for everything from biotech conventions to luxury incentive breaks to corporate retreats from nearby London.”
This activity follows a successful Experience Oxfordshire Venues partner meeting at the Bodleian Library in August where attendees received presentations from MeetEngland, GWR and Experience Oxfordshire Venues.
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