NewcastleGateshead events provide £4.3m economy boost

A record number of events took place in NewcastleGateshead in September, drawing thousands of delegates and bringing in £4.3m for the local economy.

More than 3,500 people attended 52 conferences and shows in the region throughout the month, with around half of those who booked accommodation through the NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau visiting from outside the UK.

There were visitors from 43 different countries in total.

The month’s high-profile shows included the UK’s largest educational research conference; The British Educational Research Association (BERA) 2018, which drew 700 attendees; and the Association for the Study of Obesity’s fifth UK Congress on Obesity (UKCO) - which attracted 200 obesity researchers and clinicians from across the country.

Head of the UKCO Local Organising Committee, Dr Nicola Heslehurt, said: “NewcastleGateshead is an impressive city with fantastic facilities renowned for its warm welcome.

“It is a compact and commutable city with great transport links for those wishing to travel to the area from across the UK and abroad.

“By bringing this conference to NewcastleGateshead we were able to offer delegates a fantastic and hospitable venue with a strong background in obesity related research.”

Paul Szomoru, director of business events at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, added: “September was an extremely busy month for us with a record number of high-profile events coming to the region.

“These events presented us with a brilliant opportunity to showcase our sector strengths, such as medical science and offshore and marine, and introduce delegates to our great city.”

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