Year-long campaign launched to boost conference business

Tourism body York and Scarborough Conferences has stepped up its drive to attract more business visitors to both communities.

The year-long campaign aims to attract more customers from the association, corporate and agency markets of the conference trade throughout the UK .

Laura Freer, marketing manager for York and Scarborough Conferences, said: "York and Scarborough are collaborating on this high profile marketing campaign, working with hotels and venues to bring more meetings into the area.

"Collaboration between the two destinations seems natural. Geographically they are close together but their offer is very different. York has a number of vibrant, modern meeting spaces in a unique historical setting and Scarborough offers a dramatic coastline with a number of high quality, award-winning venues."

The campaign will feature a range of marketing activities. Highlights include an eye-catching new website featuring all the key venues across North Yorkshire at www.yorkandscarborough.com

Potential clients will also be given up-to-date news on exciting developments in the area through social networking sites, a dedicated PR, and advertising campaign in national, regional and trade press

Organisers will also be seeking to raise York and Scarborough's profiles at key conference exhibitions, such as Square Meal and Confec Green.

These London based events, taking place in September, will be attended by conference organisers from blue chip companies, national and international associations and conference booking agencies looking for new and inspiring destinations.

Members of York and Scarborough Conferences will be meeting event planners to give them a flavour of what the two Yorkshire destinations have to offer and to encourage them to bring their next event to the area.

Influential people from the University of York and University of Hull at Scarborough, who are actively involved in professional and academic associations, will be recruited as ambassadors to bring prestigious events to the area

Overall, the campaign is aiming to increase business into the York and Scarborough area by an annual 10.6m, a five per cent increase on existing trade which is worth about 212m a year.

Janet Deacon, tourism manager for Scarborough and the Yorkshire Moors and Coast, said:"This campaign will enable us to really get the message across about what a fantastic business tourism offer we have across the York and Scarborough areas, the diversity and uniqueness of both the city and coastal town destinations, and the excellent quality, award-winning venues available."

The campaign will culminate in a Conference Showcase in March 2011 – a one-day event in York aimed at attracting over 150 conference and event organisers from the across the country.

York and Scarborough Conferences is being backed by Welcome to Yorkshire and the private sector across North Yorkshire.

Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward funds Welcome to Yorkshire, which is charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber visitor economy.

York and Scarborough Conferences is making a name for itself as the driving force of the area's corporate tourism industry. York is ranked seventh (up from tenth) in the top 10 business tourism cities in England.

According to figures, Scarborough generated 9m of business tourism spend and the trade also generated a total of 203m turnover for York.