NEWS IN DEPTH | FACE TO FACE Ian McCarthy
Travel will be one of the high- growth industries represented at the International Business Festival next year, with a conference organised by cheeky monkey media and TravelGBI. George Clode spoke to festival director Ian McCarthy
Q: Why has travel been introduced to the festival this year? A: Travel and tourism are big business for the UK – the sector is worth billions of pounds to the economy and is the fastest growing in terms of employment. About a 10th of the British workforce is employed by the industry. And it’s one of the things we
really excel at. If you’re talking about best in class – in place marketing, in hospitality – then we’re it. But it’s a competitive environment internationally, so it’s vital to explore how to maintain edge in the market. The industry themes we chose
for the 2018 International Business Festival were selected because they are all the high-growth sectors which will power the economy of the future. Travel and tourism have just as much of a place within the event as
8 TravelGBI | October 2017
life sciences or sustainable energy. The fact that we have chosen travel, which will be explored alongside sport and culture, as the theme to close out the festival I think bears this out.
Q: How important is travel to the growth of international business? A: We’re living in a world that is more networked than ever. But, as I say about the festival itself, the real value is in face-to-face connection. There’s no substitute for meeting someone in person and that’s why travel is so important to international business. And it’s going to continue to be a
huge growth industry. As economies develop and more and more people around the world gain access to international travel then we’ll start to see new markets open up and new opportunities for business as a result.
Q: Who in the travel industry should attend this event? A: We want people of all levels and professional backgrounds to attend the International Business Festival, and that’s true of the travel industry too. Buyers, marketers, salespeople, operations managers – there will be panels, how-to sessions, keynote addresses that will be of interest to everyone. But it’s the opportunity to grow
your global networks that is the key benefit of the festival, and that’s something that I know will appeal to everyone in business, and to those in the travel industry in particular.
� NETWORKING: Festival director Ian McCarthy urges travel and tourism professionals to network at the International Business Festival in Liverpool (June 12-28)
Q: Does the festival benefit Liverpool as a tourist destination? A: The International Business Festival has a hugely beneficial impact on the visitor economy of Liverpool. In 2016, it brought in an additional £3 million of visitor spend to the city. The impact goes beyond a short-
term economic uptick – the event provides a platform for the city to demonstrate its offer to a global audience. It helps Liverpool, and the wider region, build on what is a leading position in the tourism market. We’ve been named friendliest city
in the UK by Conde Nast Traveller, third in Rough Guide’s list of must- visit destinations. And this activity is having measurable results, driving investment and job creation. Liverpool has transformed itself
over the last decade to a greater extent than perhaps any other city in Europe. The catalyst was being named
We chose travel and tourism for the festival as they are high-growth sectors
European Capital of Culture for 2008. In 2018 Liverpool will have a year of celebrations to mark the 10-year anniversary and the Festival sits right at the heart of that.
Q: What can people expect from sport, culture and travel day? A: In a nutshell, the day will be centre on the commercial importance of place in the context of
global commerce and trade. It’s not news that success in the business of sport, culture and travel means selling the offer of a specific location, but it is something I think we’re seeing increased focus on. On our Futures Stage we’ll be
bringing in the leaders and sector experts to explore the nexus between sport, culture and travel – how can they work in tandem to produce business growth and opportunities for international expansion. In many ways Liverpool is
the perfect place to do this – our cultural and sporting heritage have put us on the map as a visitor destination, but it’s our world-class travel and tourism industry that sells this offer to the world. As well as inspiration and
thought-provoking panels, there’ll also be a wide variety of other activity designed to help businesspeople within these sectors to take their next step – how-to sessions, meet the buyer events, export and growth advice from our partners at the GREAT Britain campaign and in professional services. It’s really going to be a one stop
shop. What might take you months to access operating on your own you’ll be able to get all under one roof at the Exhibition Centre
Liverpool next June.
internationalbusinessfestival.com
travelgbi.com
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