The business events industry helped to boost the UK economy by £10.9 billion in 2023, according to a new economic report by the Events Industry Alliance (EIA).
Marija Erzen, co-owner, Solutions 2 (UK) Ltd, ESSA and EIA chair, commented, “We are delighted with the results of our latest economic impact report. A 17% growth in the events industry between 2022 and 2023, demonstrates that, whilst other areas of the economy are struggling, the events industry is growing exponentially in a challenging economic environment and with little help from the Government.”
Erzen added, “These figures bring us just shy of our pre-pandemic levels of economic impact (£11bn) and the events industry’s strong growth really demonstrates our potential and resilience as an industry during an economically challenging year for many. We hope that these positive figures encourages the next Government to really notice and pay attention to our industry.”
Particularly promising is the increase in the number of events. The recent Size and Scale Index for Exhibitions (SASIE) report, published earlier this year, revealed over 1,000 exhibitions were held in 2023, demonstrating the industry’s resilience and innovation in the face of economic challenges.
Rachel Parker, director, AEV and EIA said, “The number of exhibitions over the last year is really promising, including both new and long standing repeat exhibitions. The dynamism of the sector to move with new trends and trades when they emerge in the economy is a particular strength and one that we hope to see more of in the future.”
Parker continued, “The positive growth in the industry feeds into other areas of the economy and helps explain the dynamic and far reaching potential of the industry, so it is not only the events industry that benefits from the growth of the sector.”
Beyond the events themselves, the 6.9 million attendees generate substantial spending in hospitality, travel and hotels. In 2023, the events industry made a significant contribution to the UK GDP, valued at £5.5 billion, and helped to support 114,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly.
Working on behalf of the events industry associations, the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association of Event Venues (AEV), and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), the Events Industry Alliance (EIA) provides a secretariat and platform to work together to achieve common objectives for the good of the events industry.
The report is available here.
For further information please contact:
Kimmie Garrett, Marketing
Events Industry Alliance
119 High Street, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2DJ
email:
Events Industry Alliance (EIA)
The Events Industry Alliance (EIA) is an alliance of trade associations created by the three event industry bodies: the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association of Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA). The alliance of trade associations represents the UK business events sector including high profile trade and consumer exhibitions across key sectors. Pre-pandemic, the industry steered £11 billion of trade into UK business. In 2023 the impact is £10.9 billion, bringing 114,000 jobs and 6.9 million visitors to the UK. The EIA provides a secretariat and platform to work together to achieve common objectives for the good of the events industry.
The sister associations are each run by its members for the benefit of its members through their own elected board and in turn represent the EIA board on an annual rotational basis. The EIA is working to increase the visibility of the events industry and ensure the events industry is counted.
For more information, please visit www.eventsindustryalliance.com
About Association of Event Organisers (AEO)
Association of Event Organisers (AEO) is the trade body representing companies, which conceive, create, develop or manage trade and consumer events. It is run by its members for the benefit of its members through an elected council of representatives, specialist working groups and a fulltime secretariat.
Our aim is to be the voice of the event organising industry, to serve the collective needs of event organisers and to promote the interests of our members and the industry at large. AEO membership enables organisers to work with members of its sister organisations, Association of Event Venues (AEV) and Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA).
For more information, please visit www.aeo.org.uk
About Association of Event Venues (AEV)
Association of Event Venues (AEV) is a committed trade body representing venues of all size and type both in the UK and internationally, run by its members for the benefit of its members and the wider events industry.
Whether an international, national, regional, multi-purpose or specialist venue, the AEV offers the opportunity to connect with peers, learn, benchmark and share best practice for the benefit of individual businesses and the wider event industry. AEVs united presence ensures the voice of event venues is heard and interests represented in all relevant discussions within the sector and with the UK Government.
For more information, please visit www.aev.org.uk
About Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA)
The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) is a trade body representing the very best suppliers of goods and services to the events industry. ESSA focusses on leadership and representation, centring on the importance of industry safety, sustainability, training, business development, government lobbying, as well as driving excellence and shared best practice.
ESSA’s purpose is to represent the event supplier and services community by delivering value to members to support their continuous improvement and success, creating a sector that gains its strength from unity. ESSA and its members sit at the centre of the business events community, providing a collective voice both in the UK and overseas.
ESSA is run by its members for the benefit of its members through an elected board of representatives, specialist working groups and a fulltime secretariat.
For more information, please visit www.essa.uk.com
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