£250,000 boost for broadband in conference centres

Tourism Minister Rebecca Pow has launched a competition for conference centres across the UK to apply for funding to improve broadband infrastructure.

With the aim of hosting more international conferences at UK venues, the funding will be awarded to venues across the UK, including hotels and event centres, to support the improvement of on-site broadband facilities and help them attract more international business events.

Pow said: “We want the UK to attract the biggest and best international business events to help grow our economy and encourage trade and investment. Ensuring our conference facilities can deliver the connectivity and facilities organisers want and need is crucial to help achieve this and there is a great deal of scope to expand this area. Our Tourism Sector Deal is providing a broadband boost to the country’s business events industry, and I would encourage all eligible venues to apply.”

The UK hosted 592 international association meetings in 2017, with business visitors making up almost a quarter of the 38 million visits to the UK in 2018 and providing a  boost to visitor numbers during the off peak season.