Travel trade association UKinbound has announced Greater
Manchester as the host destination for its Annual Convention 2026.
The winning bid was submitted by
Marketing Manchester, with the two-day flagship event set to take place on 25
and 26 February next year, with more than 400 delegates expected to attend. Over the last five years the event has grown considerably in size, from 250
delegates in 2021.
Covering the breadth of the UK, attendees
will include tour operators and trade buyers who are responsible for bringing
many international visitors to the UK from key markets such as the
USA, Asia and the Middle East.
The event schedule will include a dynamic
keynote speaker address, industry insights and forecasts, B2B workshops, an evening
networking dinner and an industry award ceremony.
Working
in collaboration with Marketing
Manchester, UKinbound will
coordinate a range of familiarisation trips for delegates, allowing them to
experience the diverse tourism offering of not only the city but the
surrounding region, which will help to foster and develop key relationships
between buyers and local industry.
Joss Croft OBE, CEO, UKinbound, said; “We
are really excited that Greater Manchester will be the host destination for our
Annual Convention in 2026.
“The
city presented an impressive bid, that not only highlighted their exceptional
track record of hosting events, but also a real passion for collaborating with
the travel trade and desire to further grow international visitor numbers.
“I
am confident that this partnership will result in an exceptional and valuable
event, and we look forward to showcasing what Greater Manchester has to offer,
to our delegates.”
Victoria
Braddock, managing director of Marketing Manchester, said; “It is such an
exciting time to hold an event in Greater Manchester and there has never been a
better time for inbound international visitors to come here, so I am delighted
that UKinbound will be hosting their 2026 annual convention in the city, giving
us an opportunity to showcase the destination - and lots of fantastic new
developments - to influential buyers and suppliers who support the UK’s inbound
tourism sector.
“Here
in Greater Manchester, we have recently launched a new strategy for the visitor
economy, identifying an increase in inbound international visitors via
Manchester Airport as one of five key targets to achieve between now and 2025.
I look forward to sharing more detail on the vision and thinking behind the
strategy, as well as the steps that we, as a sector, will be taking to meet our
targets.”
For
the last four years UKinbound’s Annual Convention has taken place in September,
but from 2026 onwards it will be held in February. The event historically took
place each February until 2021, when Covid restrictions put a pause on all
events.
Organisers believe moving
the event to earlier in the year will provide attendees with greater networking
and business development opportunities, as February is a more accessible month
for businesses to attend events.
As
Annual Convention will be taking place during the UK’s low season, delegates
will also have the opportunity to see attractions and product that is available
to international visitors all year round, giving them the insight to sell
visitation to the city at all times of the year.
