EDINBURGH International Conference Centre (EICC) has hailed its “strongest ever pipeline of events business” and underlined the economic impact the upcoming gatherings will have on the city’s economy over the next 12 to 36 months.
The EICC, which is run at arm’s length by City of Edinburgh Council, said the 40 conferences and events will bring around 20,000 delegates to Edinburgh and the EICC, translating to around £32 million of economic impact.
Forthcoming events at the venue will include major healthcare conferences such as the 36th International Papillomavirus Conference in November 2024, the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in GB & Ireland in March 2025; and the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists Annual Scientific Meeting in May 2025.
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Marsshall Dallas, chief executive of the EICC, said: “We are proud to host some of the world’s top conferences from industries spanning environmental and engineering, health and bioscience, technology, and education set for Edinburgh over the next few years, with over 50 per cent of these large association conferences coming from outside the UK. That’s great news not only for us, but for Edinburgh and the region.
“The credit for the conference wins we’re announcing today goes to our sales and support teams, which we have carefully grown and strengthened in recent times, and the way in which the team works collaboratively with industry peers in Edinburgh and beyond to attract events to the city.”
He added: “It’s also pleasing to see the first conference wins coming directly from our Exchange Initiative.”
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The Exchange Initiative is an academic advisory board set up in 2022 to raise the global profile of the city, highlight the research emerging from the Scottish university sector, and drive association conference business.
The most recent financial results for the EICC show that it increased revenue by 45% to £11.8 million the year to December 31, 2022.
The business has entered into a franchise agreement with Hyatt Hotels to develop a 350-bedroom in the Haymarket area in a project designed to improve the EICC, standing as an international events destination and generate revenue for reinvestment in the conference centre. A hotel school to help ease staff shortages in the hospitality sector is also planned. The hotel is expected to open in late 2025.
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