The official conference and events bureau for Cambridge and the surrounding area has announced a series of major international and national conference wins which will bring approximately 3,200 delegates to Cambridge over the next two years.
Meet Cambridge, founded and funded by the Cambridge Colleges, has revealed that the 11 high profile residential events will result in an additional £3 million* economic impact to the local area.
The meetings – which span medical, scientific and electronics – are run by professional associations which rotate the location for their events, often following a competitive bidding process to select suitable destinations.
Judith Sloane, Head of Meet Cambridge said: “It is great news that Cambridge has been selected as a location for these prestigious events and for the team at Meet Cambridge to have played a part in the process.
“It is likely that these events will attract more than 3,200 delegates to the area, who will be staying for between two and six days which will deliver around £3 million economic impact to the region in terms of spend on accommodation, meals, tours and shopping.
“Cambridge offers associations a number of unique benefits including the opportunity to tap into the local expertise in the expert communities at our universities and the knowledge clusters at our science and technology parks, Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the new Biomedical Campus.
“This, together with our portfolio of inspirational venues – academic, unique spaces and hotels in the city, as well as the incredible breadth of activities and attractions on offer to visitors – makes Cambridge a very attractive destination for associations. It’s extra special that two of these organisations have decided to come to the city for their special centenary events; we’re very much looking forward to welcoming visitors from around the world.”
For 2023 and 2024, confirmed meetings include: International Seed Testing Association – June/July 2024 (200 delegates for six days); Faculty of Homeopathy – 100th Anniversary Congress - Homeopathy: Integrative Medicine for a Sustainable Future – 7th-10th September 2023 (200 delegates for four days); European Calcium Society – September 2024 (250 delegates for five days); International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society – 24th European Microelectronics Packaging Conference – September 2023 (300 delegates for four days); International Organization For The Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IOIBD) – March 2023 (115 delegates for four days); The International Association of Music Libraries (IAML) – July/August 2023 (400 delegates for five days); NeuroTrauma August/September 2024 (700 delegates for six days); and four other conferences yet to be announced, totalling 1,100 delegates.
Meet Cambridge has an established Ambassador Programme which helps those who would like to champion the city to their association as a destination for their events. This includes free support to collate a competitive bid, material resources and practical help, as well as in-depth local knowledge to ensure delegates can enjoy the ‘Cambridge Experience’.
• Economic impact calculated using VisitBritain Business Events Research, Delegate Spend and Trip Extensions Report 2017.
