VisitBritain has announced a new partnership with Eurostar and Virgin Trains, which will offer a united travel service for the MICE industry, helping to boost international business events in the UK.
The partnership was announced at IBTM World, and will give international event planners the freedom to book multi-stop journeys from mainland Europe to British destinations. It will increase connectivity to destinations such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, allowing planners to experience more of the UK outside London.
Event planners will also be able to book out carriages or trains for their MICE events at discounted travel rates, and can change or transfer tickets between delegates.
VisitBritain’s Head of Business Events Kerrin MacPhie said: “We are excited to be part of a collaboration to drive growth to more destinations across the UK for the international MICE market, giving event planners and their delegates the chance to easily explore our wider business events offer.
“This new booking experience provides convenience for the MICE market, easing the planning process and encouraging more international meetings to take place right across our nations and regions. Travelling is part of the meeting experience and offering seamless transport options positions the UK a step closer to being the leading destination for international MICE events.”
Simon Tyler, Head of Sales at Eurostar, commented: “We are pleased to extend our MICE offer working with Virgin Trains to make it even easier for groups to discover a wider range of destinations. Our dedicated MICE experiences have proved popular since they launched this summer, with passengers able to relax and enjoy tailored activities in their exclusive Eurostar carriage.
“We look forward to launching this partnership and offering even more MICE travellers a journey to remember.”
