Meet England, the domestic business tourism team of national tourism agency VisitBritain, has launched a new website www.meetengland.com. The aim of the site is to “make it easier than ever before for organisations to research, plan and hold their business meetings, conferences, events and exhibitions in England”.
 
The website also provides useful information to help businesses find corporate hospitality options, team-building experiences and incentive trips. VisitBritain aims to build on the £5.3 billion Britons spend on 22.5 million business trips in their own country every year.
 

MeetEngland: driving awareness 

“The money spent on business trips in this country represents a quarter of all overnight domestic tourism spending,” said Sarah Woodford, MeetEngland manager. “With this much at stake, it’s vital that we continue to invest in this area. Our new site helps drive awareness of the wide range of venues and experiences available throughout England.”
 
Once companies have registered at www.meetengland.com they will receive a regular e-newsletter keeping them informed on new venues and destination developments. They’ll also be able explore some of the new sections including:
 
Find a destination – helping you to pick the “perfect place for any corporate event”, plus practical information and advice on getting there and getting around.
 
Be inspired – a tour of England’s cities and order brochures covering ideas for corporate hospitality, venues in the English countryside and teambuilding events. There are also case studies to help companies understand the wide range of business experiences available.
 
Find a venue – a free venue-finding facility.
 
Plan your event – Useful checklists, supplier listings, information on bid support for international conferences and VAT reclaims to help ensure an event runs smoothly and successfully.
 
As well as providing information for event organisers, www.meetengland.com offers help for individual travellers preparing to head to England on business. Visitors who want to extend their business trip after their meeting will be able to find information on where to stay in thousands of quality-assessed properties through links with www.enjoyengland.com, as well as buy transport and attraction tickets, accommodation guides, touring passes, books, maps and more from an on-line shop.