Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) is eyeing up cross-Atlantic business as it looks to capitalise on its close ties to the US.
EICC, which once hosted US President Barack Obama, has announced its plans to attract new markets. The venue, which exhibited at IMEX America as part of the Visit Scotland group, also reported it is set to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity in 2023 following a strong rebound in association and corporate business since reopening in September 2021.
EICC CEO Marshall Dallas said: “Edinburgh, like Scotland, has so many close ties to North America. The city is experiencing record and well-documented popularity as a place to live, and a place to visit. When it comes to conferences and business events, in addition to our own venue, we have a multitude of historic sites in and around the city. Edinburgh also has an array of highly-rated hotels and restaurants, and incredible destinations within easy reach - the Highlands, Skye and the Hebrides islands, world renowned golf courses, and whisky distilleries.”
Airline operators, such as Delta, have opened new routes into Edinburgh, including Atlanta, the airline’s largest US hub. This will give access to many other US destinations, while Delta has also extended the frequency of existing routes including Boston and New York JFK.
In June, the EICC announced that it had taken on the management and operations of Edinburgh’s Convention Bureau to help drive the city’s business events sector. Dallas added: “Taking guardianship of the Convention Bureau puts us in a positive position to help create a thriving future for Edinburgh as a business events destination - which in turn brings great benefit to the local economy and a multitude of city partners.”
EICC’s plans for growth will be bolstered by the new 349-bedroom Hyatt Centric hotel set to open in 2025. This hotel will be Hyatt’s first hotel in Scotland and will address the delegate demand issues the EICC has historically faced.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
