Beam highlights value of sector to MPs at State of the Nation event
The value of the business events industry and the importance of SIC codes were on the agenda at beam's State of the Nation event at Cliveden House on Thursday 19 September.
SIC codes and the value of business events were the main discussion topics with MPs at beam's State of the Nation event at Cliveden House.
Senior representatives of the beam agency and venue members, as well as Windsor MP Jack Rankin and shadow business minister Mike Wood, were joined at the invitation-only event by multiple guest speakers who showcased the events industry's contribution to the UK economy.
Julie Shorrock, beam chair and managing director of Hotel and Travel Solutions, said: "Raising the profile of the business events industry, its contribution to the economy, and its power in job generation is a priority for beam, and engaging with government - on all sides of the house - remains crucial to that. So, we welcomed this opportunity to engage with members of the opposition and thank them for their interest.
"We collectively impressed upon them the industry's benefits and the need for updated SIC codes to accurately reflect its value. Furthermore, we shared the need for an easier visa scheme for all and an event tax credit scheme to attract new events.
"We also shared an industry requirement for increased support in attracting international events, including practical support for competitiveness and increased national and regional convention bureau funding. Finally, we discussed leveraging events to help deliver government policies and create a legacy."
The event’s first guest speaker, Martin Fullard of the Business of Events, spoke about strengthening the UK's position as a global events hub and the need of increased government support and funding for global events.
"It was a privilege to join senior leaders from the beam community at Cliveden House for the State of the Nation Lunch", said Fullard. "It is very important that when we are talking about advancing the sector through policy, that we are not just talking to ourselves. As such, it was great to engage with Jack Rankin, MP for Windsor, and Mike Wood MP, shadow secretary of state for business and trade. I hope they found the presentation of The Business of Events' policy agenda useful."
Award-winning public affairs advisor John Rowland, senior partner at H/Advisors Cicero, considered the nation's state under the new government. He believes businesses will have a constructive but complicated relationship with the new government and shared how he welcomes political stability, which requires an international impact that events can support.
Michael Hirst OBE, of UKEVENTS, spoke about existing engagement with the government on a comprehensive events strategy and the ongoing challenge of overcoming government department silos.
The event closed with Mike Wood MP sharing his commitment to support the events industry.
Jonathan Read from Leonardo Hotels UK and Ireland said: "Being able to engage with politicians was invaluable—our £60bn plus industry now has a stronger voice to address crucial issues like SIC code updates and the upcoming workers' rights bill under the new Labour government, elevating our future advocacy. As a collective group under the stewardship of Julie Shorrock and David Tremmil our industry now has a fighting chance of impacting its future and vocalising our importance to UK GDP."
Andrew Deakin, managing director of Conference Care, added: "The insights shared by Martin Fullard and John Rowland were thought-provoking and highly relevant to the current political and economic landscape. John's analysis of the general election and his projections for the upcoming budget—especially around potential changes to inheritance tax and capital gains tax—provided real clarity on what businesses might expect in the near future.
"The event was an incredibly valuable experience and provided a fantastic platform for meaningful discussions and future collaborations. If you didn't attend, you really missed a great event."
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