The main speakers have been revealed at one of the UK events industry’s foremost annual networking and educational events.

The Summer Eventia, staged by the trade body Eventia, will be held at The Lowry Hotel, Manchester from 6-8 July 2008. Featuring an engaging mix of keynote presentations, topical discussions and interactive workshops, it will also include a number of excellent motivational and networking activities.

The opening keynote address will be delivered by Roger Martin-Fagg, client director at the School of Growth, Innovation and Enterprise at Henley Management College. An expert in macroeconomics, strategy and business acumen, Martin-Fogg will reveal whether the UK economy is moving towards a soft landing, a recession or a full-blown depression. By providing an economic outlook for the next three years, the aim is of his address is to enable delegates to understand its likely impact on their business.

Long time advocate of events education, Randle Stonier, will also be speaking. The former chairman and chief executive of Euro RSCG Skybridge, and founding partner of sales and communications agency AddingValue will challenge industry colleagues and university educators alike to join forces in setting the essential educational benchmarks that will produce a smart and skilled new generation of events professionals.

Another session will reveal how the live medium is gaining currency in consumer marketing. Corporates are increasingly turning to experiential events in their search for the most compelling and effective ways of connecting with consumers – providing an opportunity for creative events agencies to broaden their offering.

A number of workshops will also take place, covering hot topics, including risk assessment and crisis management, return on investment, corporate social responsibility (CSR), developments in technology, the role of destination convention bureaus and more besides. Additionally, there will be a panel discussion involving corporate clients, agencies and a global hotel chain, which will explore the future of our industry.

“Once again we’ll be taking the pulse of our industry,” said Eventia’s executive director Izania Downie. “We are living in interesting times and our speakers – together with our audience – will identify the trends that will shape the way we do business in the medium and longer term.”

For the third year running, The Summer Eventia will feature the National Tourist Office collaboration Where The World Is Your Oyster. This year these national tourist offices have grouped together to produce a marketing initiative aimed at event organisers. They will be promoting their countries’ attractions though a series of one-to-one appointments with hosted buyers.

This year Eventia will be also be laying on a private train to enable delegates travelling from London and Milton Keynes to journey in style to Manchester for a nominal cost of £25 – as well as reduce the carbon footprint of the event. The train will be returning to both destinations on the afternoon of Tuesday 8 July.

The full event programme will be announced shortly and booking details will be available on www.eventia.org.uk