Destination of the Month: London

I recently wrote a blog titled: “Life beyond London: Is leaving the capital the latest event trend?”. Judging by the reaction, some people seemed to think that I had written London off as an events destination altogether.

That in events terms, London was no more. It had ceased to be. Expired and gone to meet its maker. An ex-city.

Nothing could be further from the truth. London remains an absolutely compelling meetings and events destination by every imaginable factor. You want proof? Well, for starters, we’ve got the imminent arrival of some pretty major event infrastructure on two opposite sides of the city.

In West London, Olympia is undergoing a major transformation with the introduction of the ICC (International Convention Centre), a brand new event and entertainment venue taking bookings from 2026. Built on the site of the old conference centre behind the 1929 Art Deco façade, the ICC offers more than 7,000 sqm of versatile event space across three interconnected levels.

The venue integrates seamlessly with Olympia’s heritage halls - Grand, National, West, and Level One - creating a unified, expandable estate. Key features include a flexible 830-seat auditorium, seven breakout rooms, and the 3,000 sqm Central Hall for exhibitions, gala dinners, or immersive events. A second auditorium (400 seats), additional breakout spaces, and a networking lounge complete the offer.

The ICC is designed to serve B2B conferences and expos midweek, while weekends will feature family shows, theatre, and comedy. Its modular design allows agile setups and quick turnarounds between events.

Two on-site hotels - CitizenM (three-star-plus) and a four-star-plus Hyatt - add 350 rooms, catering to both corporate and leisure audiences. Additional facilities include a gym and, soon, a private members club for live entertainment and networking.

(Photo credit: Fred Moon, unsplash)

Olympia Main Image Daytime

London map

Looking ahead, Olympia will also feature a new 1,575-seat theatre, a 4,000-capacity music hall, and 30 restaurants, bars and eateries, all connected by a stunning new public space anchored by the Heatherwick Arch.

“Olympia has always been synonymous with exhibitions, and we’re not moving away from that – we’re building on it,” says Adam Pollington, sales director at Olympia Events. “Our goal is to grow our expo market back to, and beyond, 2019 levels, while adding new layers of cultural and entertainment experiences.

“We want Olympia to be seen not just as a traditional exhibition centre, but as a destination – an arts, cultural, and events hub for West London.”

The ICC will host its first events from March next year, and is already seeing strong demand.

“We have confirmed business well into 2026, and we’re even taking inquiries for 2031 and beyond,” adds Pollington. “Our goal is that by 2030, once the entire estate is fully operational, we’ll be able to host up to 30,000 people across the site at any given time.”

Meanwhile out in East London, Excel London has just hosted the first event at its hugely-anticipated new £220 million ICC expansion, which adds 25,000 sqm to the venue, increasing its size by 25 per cent to 125,000 sqm and making it Europe’s largest fully integrated conference and exhibition centre.

The venue is set to host a record 10 major international congresses in 2026, most of which will use the new ICC expansion, generating an estimated £250 million for the capital’s economy. This comes in addition to the £4.6 billion contributed annually through Excel’s 400-event calendar.

The congresses – including the EAU Congress (13-16 March), FTTH Conference (14-16 April), INTA Annual Meeting (2-6 May), ESHRE Annual Meeting (5-8 July) and EuMW (4-9 October) – are expected to attract around 80,000 delegates, many from overseas.

James Rees, Excel’s executive director, highlighted that London’s experience economy is set to benefit from £10 billion investment over the next decade, with Excel alone investing £350 million in recent years. “Combine this with London’s accolades, including TripAdvisor’s ‘World’s Top Destination 2025’, and it’s easy to see why interest in the city is booming,” he said.

Not only that, but Excel has put its money where its mouth is on sustainability by bringing forward its Net Zero transition target by five years to 2045 – a first for a venue of Excel’s size.

According to Rees, the surge in major events signals that “London is well and truly back on the map,” with international planners increasingly choosing the city for global gatherings.

Indeed, I was delighted to hear London’s deputy mayor for business, Howard Dawber, call meetings and events a “crucial part” of London’s economic strategy at IMEX Frankfurt in May. He praised our sector for helping drive growth in key sectors like life sciences, saying that “being the place where people come to share ideas really helps attract investment.”

The ICC - Auditorium

Excel London has today committed to bringing its Net Zero target forward by five years

Bleisure centre

As well as being the place where people come to share ideas and do business, London has always been somewhere people come to enjoy themselves – and the boundaries between all those worlds are increasingly blurred. Bleisure is one of the top travel trends of the last few years, and is now part of a wider culture of convenience, where work is accessible anywhere with a strong Wi-Fi signal and a half-decent coffee.

London has been ranked the world’s number two destination for bleisure this year, and its hospitality sector is adapting – Olympia’s aim to be arts, cultural, and events hub is pretty clear evidence of this. At Clermont Hotel Group, AI tools like Obvlo now tailor itineraries based on a guest’s purpose - business, leisure, or both - making it easier for travellers to experience the city meaningfully. Stuart Yeates, chief commercial officer, explains, “For corporate travellers, what makes a stay memorable is the experience. Our AI tools help guests make the most of their time, however brief.”

I joined a recent fam trip of Clermont’s London properties to discuss the changing face of bleisure in greater detail. We ended the day in full-on leisure mode, enjoying cocktails and canapes in the sun in the newly-overhauled The Terrace at the Royal Horseguards Hotel. Styled as an English country garden - think wicker sofas and a growing tomato wall – The Terrace provides a charming haven away from the bustle of the city.

The Royal Horseguards Hotel offers 14 meeting and event spaces, blending heritage with elegance. Highlights include the grand Gladstone Library, hosting up to 320 guests, and the adjoining Reading & Writing Room with Thames views. The Whitehall Suite and historic reception areas provide classic grandeur, while Churchill’s Bar offers a unique, relaxed settings.

Also poised to benefit from the bleisure boom is The National Gallery, which has just unveiled stunning new event spaces following an £85m redevelopment of its Grade I listed Sainsbury Wing.

The two-year project created flexible spaces for business meetings, conferences, and private events, including a 322-seat lecture theatre, a mezzanine bar and restaurant by Locatelli, and the versatile Whitcomb Room.

Clare Arouche, head of hospitality and events, says the development has proved extremely popular so far, as I caught up with her at the venue’s brand new Supporter’s House lounge over coffee and maritozzi (a particularly outrageous Italian cream bun).

We’ve been incredibly busy,” she says. “The autumn was especially packed due to Van Gogh and this coming autumn is looking no different. We’ve even had to revise our budgets upwards because the demand has gone beyond what we expected. The press coverage and buzz around the reopening have really contributed.

“Before, we could host just one evening event in these galleries whilst the Sainsbury Wing was closed. Now, we can hold up to five at once, so our capacity has more than quadrupled. It’s exciting!”

New curated event packages focus on creativity, mindfulness, and connection, combining world-class facilities with inspiring art experiences to deliver impactful meetings in a beloved London venue overlooking Trafalgar Square.

Far from being an “ex-city,” London remains a magnet for ideas, innovation, and unforgettable experiences, investing in world-class infrastructure while embracing the new bleisure era. The capital’s venues, hotels, and attractions continue to set the standard for what a modern event destination should be. The message is clear: London isn’t going anywhere - except forward.

The Terrace - Royal Horseguards

Sainsbury Wing - National Gallery

UPDATES

Down Hall, the 110-acre country house hotel and spa in Essex, has invested close to £1 million in expanding its luxury proposition. Developments include the launch of The Woodland Table, an alfresco dining experience, a dedicated Garden Spa focused on holistic wellbeing, and the creation of The Charles Gardens, a new space for large-scale outdoor celebrations, weddings and events.

London Museum Docklands has launched an events package to tie in with ‘Secrets of the Thames: Mudlarking London’s Lost Treasures’, the UK’s first major exhibition dedicated to the practice of mudlarking. Open until 1 March 2026, the events team have created a special package which includes a private viewing and specially curated menu to coincide with the display.

BMA House, the Grade II-listed events venue in Bloomsbury, has celebrated its 100th birthday as the home of the British Medical Association (BMA). With 22 flexible spaces including a tranquil botanical Garden and majestic Courtyard, BMA House regularly hosts events for up to 320 guests and is just minutes from Kings Cross, Euston and St Pancras stations.

More than 50 years after Virgin’s beginnings on a London high street, Sir Richard Branson has returned to launch Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, his first city property. The 120-room hotel boasts a rooftop pool, Mediterranean dining at Marlin’s On The Roof, and Hidden Grooves, a retro ’70s-inspired bar celebrating Virgin’s musical heritage. Blending bold design, music, and hospitality, it’s a vibrant love letter to London.

Delaware North, the food service and hospitality provider at London Stadium, has announced the launch of a new bar powered by Amazon's Just Walk Out technology. The store, Bar Tap, is located by Kiosk 3 on Level 0 and is designed to help reduce queues and speed up service, giving guests more time to enjoy football matches and live events.

The Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle in Spitalfields has launched a new lunch menu. With two courses at £49 and three courses at £55, this new menu positions Galvin La Chapelle as one of London’s most affordable Michelin-starred experiences.

Down Hall

BMA House

Bar Tap