Bureau’s Confex win bolsters enthusiasm for 2014 show

As 2013 draws to a close, NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau are looking ahead to International Confex in March 2014 and celebrating an event win following attendance at the prestigious trade show earlier this year.

The conference, Obesity – A Physiological Perspective, is the annual Topic Meeting for The Physiological Society and is expected to attract around 400 delegates to the destination. Newcastle United’s St James’ Park will host the 3 day conference, 10-12 September 2014, which looks to engage academics, medical professionals and the local community in the debate around obesity and the factors contributing to the UK epidemic.

The event was secured by NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau after meeting Christine Carr, the Physiological Society’s Events and Marketing Manager at International Confex in 2013.

Paul Szomoru, Head of Business Tourism at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, said: “We attend International Confex, as well as other meetings industry trade shows, every year and are always delighted by the quality and number of enquiries we receive as a result. The Physiological Society’s annual Topic Meeting for 2014 is a fantastic win for us, our reputation for world-leading research in science and healthcare makes NewcastleGateshead the ideal destination for a meeting of this kind.”

It’s expected the event will contribute more than £550,000 in delegate spend to the local economy.

Christine Carr, said: “It’s great that we can bring this event to the North East. The Convention Bureau, have been a fantastic source of support and a wealth of knowledge. I’m delighted we were able to speak to them at Confex earlier this year and start the ball rolling in planning our annual Topic Meeting on a subject that is a real concern here in the UK, where we have one of the highest rates of obesity in the developed world.

“Newcastle United is a brilliant venue for this event. We’re looking forward to delivering a range of public lectures and are also hoping to work alongside the Newcastle United Foundation, whose work with the local community encourages healthy lifestyle choices.”

NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau is attending International Confex 2014 alongside a range of local venues & suppliers, they are:

  • R&B Group
  • Sage Gateshead
  • Newcastle United Football Club (Sodexo)
  • Sunderland Association Football Club
  • Hilton NewcastleGateshead
  • Crowne Plaza Newcastle (due to open in 2015)

To learn more about holding a conference in the North East, meet the Convention Bureau at International Confex, Olympia, London – 12-13 March 2014, stand J50 – or visit www.NewcastleGateshead.com/Meet

The Convention Bureau is part of NewcastleGateshead Initiative, which is funded by Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council and 170 private sector partners from across North East England. Its mission is to inspire people to visit and to live, learn, work and invest in NewcastleGateshead. The organisation has been instrumental in supporting the growth of the visitor economy, which is currently worth £1.3bn and supports 18,799 jobs in the local area. An inward investment team is the most recent addition to the organisation.

Ends.

For media enquiries contact:

Shelley Armstrong
Media & PR Manager
T. +44 (0)191 440 5739
M. +44 (0)7717 631 109
E. shelley.armstrong@ngi.org.uk

Notes to editors:

  • NewcastleGateshead Initiative is a destination management and marketing agency; a public-private partnership supported by Gateshead and Newcastle City Councils, working with around 170 private sector partner organisations across NewcastleGateshead and the wider region
  • NewcastleGateshead Initiative is supported by a board offering expertise from a range of sectors and professions. We also work with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and businesses, who share our ambition to inspire people to visit and to live, learn, work and invest in NewcastleGateshead.
  • Our marketing & communications team works to promote and position NewcastleGateshead as a vibrant tourism destination, through targeted campaigns nationally and internationally. Our visitor information team helps ensure visitors have the best possible experience when they’re here, providing information and support.
  • Our cultural programming team work with partners across the destination to bring together NewcastleGateshead’s cultural offer and deliver some of our most popular festival & events, including EAT! NewcastleGateshead, Juice Festival and the NewcastleGateshead Winter Festival.
  • Our Convention Bureau uses local knowledge and expertise to help organise conferences, meetings or events in NewcastleGateshead and the surrounding area. It provides a free service including, venue sourcing and accommodation booking, to arranging transport and entertainment for delegates.
  • Our inward investment team helps businesses locate, expand and flourish in NewcastleGateshead, providing a range of services to make it easy to realise their ambitions for growth.
  • United by seven bridges across a spectacular riverscape, Newcastle (a city on the north bank of the River Tyne) and Gateshead (a town on the south bank) form a single, diverse and extremely vibrant visitor destination. World-class culture, vibrant nightlife, award-winning dining, inspiring heritage, fantastic shopping and acclaimed architecture are combined here like nowhere else, by the famous Geordie spirit which is symbolised by Antony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North as it welcomes travellers to the area.
  • The Supporting Business Growth and Attracting Investment to NewcastleGateshead and the North East project is part financed by the North East England Competitiveness European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf.

Imagery / Photography opportunities:

Useful links: