Conference News July-August 2021 | Page 52

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THE SHOW GOES ON

CHS Birmingham looks to bring confidence back into the industry
The inaugural CHS Birmingham event will take place on 26 October with the show organisers aiming to inject confidence into the meetings and events industry . The exhibition could not be better timed , and represents one of the first exhibitions , focusing on the meetings and events industry , to take place since the easing of lockdowns .
CHS Group has gained a fine reputation for the quality of the buyer experience at its events , with CHS Leeds one of the most well-respected exhibitions in the industry calendar . However , both the company ’ s Leeds and Birmingham Shows have been postponed throughout the pandemic , leaving a massive demand come the first outing of CHS Birmingham .
The show takes place in partnership with both ICC Birmingham and the full support of the West Midlands Growth Company , both of which are throwing the full weight of their marketing and outreach to make the event a success from day one .
Project Confidence A big part of the objectives for CHS Birmingham will be ‘ project confidence ’; encouraging both event organisers and delegates to feel more comfortable organising and attending larger events . With many smaller meetings already flooding back into the market , and with more to come throughout the summer and spring , the exhibition is challenging the industry to ‘ go big , but not stay at home ’.
“ We ’ re looking to give confidence to businesses to hold larger events ; organisers to petition stakeholders to get them organised ; and delegates to feel secure and safe in attending them ,” comments Emma Cartmell , event director , CHS Birmingham . “ If we can do that , we can play a larger role in injecting speed into our recovery and a bouncier bounce back for everyone .”
The event ’ s arrival in Birmingham is also well timed , and for the organisers , a fitting destination for the industry to reconvene following the pandemic . “ We ’ re in the centre of the UK ’ s event organising community , what we call the UK ’ s events belt , and with easy access to organisers across the country . Birmingham itself also brings added interest as it looks to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 , a fitting platform for one of the UK ’ s oldest ‘ event cities ’, but also one with a new story to tell ,” she adds .
Destinations return to market As well as the support of the local destinations , one of the other reasons around the event ’ s continued confidence is the early support of some of the UK ’ s biggest event destinations . For the first time in almost a year , CHS Birmingham will showcase the qualities of destinations from across the UK at national , regional and city levels .
As well as the obvious boost for the organisers themselves , the return of these destinations will also be a boost to visitors looking for more quality options for destinations and venues support across the UK , and another reason to be in Birmingham on 26 October .
“ Our mantra across the show is one of confidence ,” continues Cartmell , “ for our industry , for our visitors and for our exhibitors . But this is also a great endorsement of our show and we ’ re delighted to have these giant brands on our exhibition floor .
As well as these larger destinations , CHS Birmingham will also welcome brands such as The Eastside Rooms , Pride of Britain , Trident Hospitality , and Venues of Excellence to the show .
Above : Emma Cartmell www . conference-news . co . uk