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BVEP reviews three main Party Manifestos ahead of election

Published on 2010-04-27 14:01:05

Industry body prepares to publish its own manifesto and issue to new government and newly elected MPs.

A team from the Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), the umbrella organisation for the UK business tourism and events industry and of which ABPCO is a member, has reviewed all three of the main political party manifestos and is set to issue its own industry wide document to the new government and parliament following the forthcoming elections on May 6th.

Chairman of the BVEP, Michael Hirst OBE, said the contents of the party manifestos were "encouraging" with "a recognition that the importance of events to the economy and the community is beginning to gain some political traction and the creative industries, of which Events are a part, should be further supported."

Key highlights from the three manifestos that were considered relevant to UK Business Visits and Events included;

Labour

• Use 2012 and Sporting Events to boost UK tourism
• A biennial Festival of Britain from 2013
• Showcase major cultural achievements across creative industries

Conservative

• Glasgow, Brighton and Manchester highlighted as 'dynamic destinations'
• Lottery allocation restored for sport, heritage and the arts
• Commitment to seeing sport, the arts and creative industries flourish. and promoting Britain as an attractive tourist destination.

(The Conservative Party has also published a separate Tourism Report which calls for further support for the events' Sector)

Liberal Democrats

• Arts are a central part of civic & community life
• Creative Industries are the fastest growth sector and culture and heritage play a vital role in boosting tourism
• Proposal for a Creative Enterprise Fund to help the establishment of more businesses in the sector.

The BVEP's own 'Manifesto for Business Visits & Events' which has been created by a separate government affairs group within the BVEP after extensive consultation with all of the major UK industry associations in membership of the Partnership, is to be published at the end of May and distributed to all incoming Ministers and MP's following the general election.

Michael Hirst concludes; "Whilst we still have a long way to go to establish business visits and events firmly in the minds of politicians, the three main manifestos are certainly encouraging, and demonstrate that the work we have done over the past 12 months has, at the very least, caught their attention. The publication of our own manifesto will continue to push forward that message and ensure the industry receives the recognition and support it deserves".

The publication of the 'Manifesto for Business Visits & Events' comes ahead of the event at the House of Commons on 20th October, during National Meetings Week, where all new MP's are being invited to attend a reception and presentation on the sector.