PROFESSIONAL EVENTS THE SECC


Dancing, diet and dynamism: how the SECC became the first ‘healthy venue’ in the world


Te Glasgow venue is the first to receive the World Obesity Federation accreditation


BY KEVIN O’SULLIVAN


It’s only many months later that I realise I may have been unwittingly co-opted into a deliberate experi- ment to keep me healthy. It’s the end of November and I’m


attending an Exhibitor Masterclass at the SECC in Glasgow. Te event, organised by the


Association of Event Organisers, is focused on getting the most out of your stand at exhibitions: it’s salesy, full of motivational stuff and


designed very much to engage staff and potential customers. So no folded arms, no looking at the floor as clients pass you by in the hall, that kind of thing. But halfway through one of the


morning sessions and the Dutch sales trainer, Han Leenhouts, asks everyone to get to their feet. And then, with the cue of some music, asks us all to dance. I’m a dad dancer at the best of times, and I sway uncomfortably to the beat un- less well lubricated, which usually happens at weddings. But this novel approach sees quite


a lot of delegates bopping along, and it’s 11am in the Lomond Audi- torium. What is the point of all this, you might ask? Well, it only actually became clear to me in January as I


meet Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales at the SECC. She is pleased to say the venue


has just received silver accreditation from the World Obesity Federation, becoming its first Healthy Venue in the world, so clearly the health of the nation – and for that matter all overseas guests - is in very good hands, for conference-goers at least. Part of that remit is to encourage activity among delegates whilst at-


tending conferences and meetings. Te other focus is on catering, to ensure healthy options are promot- ed wherever possible. Te SECC has made great strides on both fronts, according to Chris Trimmer, Execu- tive Director at the World Obesity Federation. “It’s a fantastic achievement and


they should really be very proud,” she says. “I think the SECC felt they were already doing the majority


The SECC has even taken its healthy venue ethos to the XL event in Abu Dhabi


➜ Continued from page 27


conference ever”; incidentally the SECC has been developing these sector specialisms, and medi- cal communities are increasingly choosing the SECC as a venue.


WHILST THE SECC continues to focus on the ‘association business’ end of the conference market – a highly competitive and lucrative space nationally and internation- ally - Kathleen is also keen to let me know that it can be “nimble and responsive” for smaller meetings, and local business. “We’re doing well in that space


and we’re brilliant at hosting inaugural meetings, but we want to create a much better understand- ing that we can do smaller events as well,” she says.


“We’re less well known for the


smaller stuff but we can cater for upwards of 50 delegates just as well as the larger affairs. We want people to know this is no longer a filler part of our business but increas- ingly part of our mainstay.” Of course the SECC also caters for


highly bespoke events – ones like the digital 360D conference - and it hosts multiple events at once, without them losing their identity. It all combines to give a nice buzz to the place, Kathleen says. “It’s quite a nice contrast to some


conference environments, which can be a bit sterile if they’re not particularly well populated. We like having lots on, that’s one of our strengths.” I’m also curious as to what makes


the place tick. In particular I’m keen to speak to the team behind its


28 | EVENTSBASE | MARCH 2016


best year ever for conference sales in 2015/16, for which corporate meetings and events accounted for 30 per cent of all sales.


GLENDA CARLYLE, one of the corporate sales managers, puts the overall performance down to strong relationships with both corporate and association clients and also working ever more closely with the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, collaborating in joint pitches. “Our intention is to grow both the


association business and corporate bookings for the next financial year and to continue the joint approach with the GCMB,” she says. “But it has been a really exceptional year and the result of a lot of hard work and dedication from both teams.” Glenda echoes Kathleen’s empha- sis on bringing in smaller meetings


and AGMs from the local corporate market to the SECC. Tere are rooms in the SECC that can be used for corporate meetings at the same time as larger events are going on, with- out encroaching on each other; the spaces can even be adapted to suit the number of delegates attending an event. Te Loch Suite is designed exactly for that purpose, delivering smart, modern facilities perfectly suited to the corporate market. “It’s maybe not something people


are aware of, but these are spaces that can also be changed in aspect to fit the requirements of an event,” Glenda adds. “We are putting more focus on that, to let the corporate and local market know what we can do.” Keeping order books full in the


short, medium and long term is a focus for any conference venue and the SECC is no exception. Some


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