A piece in the Bournemouth Echo underlines just how important party conferences are to the resort’s economy – and just how huge an event conference is, even for the smallest of the three main parties:
It is estimated the event could boost the resort economy by £6.5 million, as delegates spend money in hotels, bars, restaurants and shops.
“That’s really working on the basis of about 6,000 delegates staying for an average of four nights,” said Peter Gunn, director of the BIC and Pavilion.
A few seconds with a calculator and those figures suggests delegates will be spending an average of £270 a night for the privilege of participating in Lib Dem training, networking, policymaking and carousing.
And the piece goes on to mourn the lack of any of the larger parties in town next year:
The Lib Dems are the only major party to visit Bournemouth this year, and none of the main parties are due in town in 2011.
But Labour confirmed in the summer that it would be returning in 2013, taking over the BIC and the Pavilion after a six-year break.
BIC bosses expect to hear in the autumn whether the Conservatives and Lib Dems will be returning soon.
Our next conference after Bournemouth will be Birmingham in March 2010 – and they’re so keen to welcome us to town they’ve prepared a special website, www.libdemsinbirmingham2010.com . At least, according to the Conference Directory, anyhow – it doesn’t appear the website is quite ready for use, just yet.
Thereafter, it’s Liverpool for the Autumn conference. No word yet as to whether they’ve forked out a tenner for a .com
Dates for your diary
Conference Timetable 2010
Spring Conference: Friday 12th – Sunday 14th March 2010, Birmingham
Drafting advice deadline (motions): Monday 4th January 2010
Motions deadline: Wednesday 13th January 2010
Drafting advice deadline (amendments, emergency motions): Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Deadline for amendments to motions, emergency motions, topical issues, questions to reports: Tuesday 9th March 2010
Autumn Conference: Saturday 18th – Wednesday 22nd September 2010, Liverpool
Drafting advice deadline (motions): Wednesday 16th June 2010
Motions deadline: Wednesday 30th June 2010
Drafting advice deadline (amendments, emergency motions): Tuesday 24th August 2010
Deadline for amendments to motions, emergency motions, topical issues, questions to reports: Tuesday 7th September 2010
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4 Comments
lol, £270 is a bit beyond my price range. I was hoping to not spend much more than that over 5 days. But then I’m not even an NLC member
I think that £6.5 million total figure will probably include a multiplier effect, meaning that the average spend by people at conference will be far less than that £270 a night figure.
I wouldn’t worry Robson. I think the people who stay in the Conference Hotel probably pay that for the room alone. Then think nothing of splurging out at the best restaurants. So it brings it down for those of us staying cheaper.
Yes, I think their figures are considerably on the ambitious side.