The region continues to attract social and business tourists from the world over. With a thriving offering boasting the discovery of Richard III to Leicester City’s Premiership win, Leicestershire is one of the centres of the UK tourist market. With exceptional commerce and enviable transport links, the region is a hub of hospitality, events and conferencing boasting first-class facilities and attracting some of the world’s most recognised brands.
With 1,965 Tourism and Hospitality firms that reside in the area such as the National Space Centre, Bosworth Battlefield, Twycross Zoo, King Power Stadium and Curve Theatre it is no wonder that in 2015, The Lonely Planet Guide named Leicestershire ‘one of the top places to visit’.
The region boasts one of the UK’s most multicultural identities, drawing in truly a diverse global market and is one of top 10 retail destinations in the UK.
Mike Dalzell Director of Tourism, Culture and Investment at Leicester City Council is LBF’s sector lead and will open the headline event.
Mr Dalzell noted: “Generating £1.6 billion a year. Employing over 20,000 people. Supporting Hundreds of businesses. Leicestershire’s tourism sector is vibrant and vital. LBF16 is a great vehicle for practitioners old and new to come together, learn how to make the most of the opportunities presented and plan for the future.”
By 2020 Leicestershire’s tourism and hospitality sector has ambitions to generate 10,000 new jobs and attract 35million visitors and will seek to do so using an industry leading innovative growth plan. The Leicester Business Festival will not only be showcasing this but it will literally contribute toward the achievement of these goals, seeing thousands attending the fortnight of events from across the UK.
The Tourism and Hospitality sector is just one of nine sectors that will be included in the festival, the others being Food & Drink Manufacturing, Textiles Manufacturing, Distribution & Logistics, Creative Industries, Sport & Health, Low Carbon, Professional & Financial Services, and Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing.
One of the region’s top educational institutions De Montfort University have thrown their support behind the festival as headline sponsors. Also backing the festival as affiliate sponsors are Lestercast, Highcross Leicester, FSB, Aon, Qdos and the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce.
As a by business for business event, the application process for this years’ festival is now up and running and a number of companies have already put themselves forward to host events. The application process is up and running and a number of companies have already put themselves forward to host events including TEDX, the Institute of Directors (IoD), Big Difference Company, UKTI, LLEP Gateway and The Exchange.