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recent releases from Leicester Shire Development Agency, Business Link for Leicestershire and Business Link Lincolnshire & Rutland | 
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18 July 2002
NEWS RELEASE
CONFERENCE LINCS SUPPORTS BUSINESS TOURISM RECOVERY
Business tourism in Lincolnshire and Rutland is bouncing back after the double setback of September 11 and foot and mouth.
Conference Lincs, based at Business Link Lincolnshire & Rutland, reports growing activity at venues in both counties.
Corporate tourism in the UK is worth in total £15 billion a year, making it more important to the UK economy than leisure tourism. After the attack on the twin towers and the foot and mouth outbreak it slumped 14 per cent but a recovery is underway.
"Enquiries are stepping up with a lot of activity in conferences, and we are expecting a busy exhibition season this autumn," said Rachel Jones, conference coordinator and project manager for Conference Lincs.
She said conference business in Lincolnshire and Rutland had not been hit as hard by foot and mouth and the threat of terrorism as in other areas, such as Harrogate, Birmingham and Leeds where there was a much higher level of international conference activity.
Group bookings for leisure tourism handled by Conference Lincs also held up well - although an International Music festival at Lincoln Cathedral was cancelled - and are now set to benefit from a forecast boom in domestic tourism.
"Many British holidaymakers are staying in the UK because of concerns about terrorism, and that will benefit Lincolnshire and Rutland where most visitors are domestic tourists," said Rachel Jones. "Unlike London or Edinburgh, we do not attract as many overseas travellers so we will be gaining on one hand and not losing on the other."
Now the organisation's 25 members, made up of hotels and conference centres, are set to receive a further boost.
Conference Lincs has spent five months revamping its web site and creating an online brochure for business tourism in Lincolnshire and Rutland. Prospective customers will also be able to receive the information on CD-ROM.
The new web site is at www.conferencelincs.com and there are further plans to eventually offer virtual tours of member venues.
Members pay £350 to £800 each to belong to the organisation, which is a partnership of Business Link Lincolnshire & Rutland and Lincoln City Council, and Rachel Jones estimates each receives £1,500 worth of marketing and support services.
They also benefit from tens of thousands of pounds worth of business that Conference Lincs points in the right direction each year.
"Corporate customers come to us time after time because we do the legwork for them and save them time and money by finding suitable locations at a reasonable price," said Rachel Jones.
Ends
For further Media Information
CONTACT Duncan Hopwood on 0116 254 4472
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