Glasgow targets 60% conference uplift as city launches You First concept at EIBTM

Launching its You First concept at EIBTM in Barcelona today (29 November), Glasgow City Marketing Bureau chief executive Scott Taylor said that confirmed conference sales for the past seven months had hit £140m, compared to £120m for the whole of the previous 12 months.

"If we hit target forecasts, we might hit a 60% growth year on year," he said. "We are putting substantial resources into creating points of difference."

Taylor explained there was a need to provide added value to events organisers, which was the catalyst for the launch of You First.

"You First is a service offering that will redefine the way we work with conference organisers," he said.

The idea is to work in partnership with a meeting organiser to upscale their event, such as through helping them gain revenue from sponsored city banners or apps, or providing greater engagement with delegates.

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) and the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) are working in partnership on the service, which aims to go beyond the Glasgow Model subvention scheme, launched in 2010.

The city will next year open The Hydro events venue, which has already taken a large non-entertainment booking for August, ahead of its official September 2013 opening, added SECC director of sales Ben Goedegebuure.

"It is a very exciting project, and can be used for very large conferences, as well as entertainment," he said.

The 12,000-seat venue, on the same site as the SECC, has been designed by Foster and Partners.