Business Tourism Partnership Mission

Table 3.1
Wales’ Share of Business Tourism in the UK 2005
UK Wales
Trips Spend Trips (m) Spend
(m) (£m)
(£m)
Domestic
visitors
22.5 5251 1.3 336
Overseas 8.2 4055 0.2 68
visitors
TOTAL 30.7 9306 1.5 404
Source: UKTS and IPS.
Visit Wales Business Class Award Scheme
Visit Wales has developed a Business Class Award Scheme, which
assesses meeting/conference facilities and bedroom accommodation
for the business tourist.
Meeting spaces and bedrooms are graded separately and according
to a list of specified criteria. The bedroom criteria range from having
an uncluttered and adequate workspace and an express or early
checkout through to having fax, email access and voicemail in the
bedroom. Meeting rooms, meanwhile, are judged on their
soundproofing, pa systems, lighting, high speed internet access and
video conference facilities among others. To be considered for the
Award, serviced accommodation must first attain at least three
stars in the Visit Wales or AA grading scheme. The scheme has
three progressive levels – Silver, Gold and Platinum.
d) Northern Ireland
The Business Tourism Unit of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board
was established in 2004 (having previously operated as the
Northern Ireland Conference Bureau since 1994). The Northern
Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) is the statutory organization
responsible for encouraging and developing tourism in Northern
Ireland. NITB, in turn, is responsible to the Department of
Enterprise, Trade and Investment for Northern Ireland (DETI). NITB
has highlighted business tourism as one of its ‘winning themes’
within its Strategic Framework for Action 2004-2007.
The Business Tourism Unit (BTU), as part of the national tourist
board, is wholly funded by the Government, although the industry
in Northern Ireland pays to participate in marketing activities,
generating additional operating income. The Unit has a team
consisting of a manager, international sales person, domestic
business tourism officer and administrative backup. With the
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