A new study into conference booking trends shows that London sites are attracting more bookings than centres in other parts of the country.
Meet Pie reports that the research, carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Conference Centres of Excellence, shows that demand and rates have reduced outside of London venues, despite many branching out into weekend leisure offerings.
PwC hospitality and leisure head of research Liz Hall said that the upcoming public sector cuts could potentially generate more business for the events sector, as teams and departments plan for the future in light of reduced budgets.
Reflecting on the results, Ms Hall added: "There is conference trade during the week but where some are saying price is more important than quality, others say that things are fine. Certainly 24-hour rates are under pressure and non-residential is a big growth area."
The research, conducted in August of this year, also shows that companies are spending less on catering and more on technological aids and AV set-ups. There has also been an upturn in demand for training courses.
Last week, it was reported that Bradford venues could see a rise in trade due to the government's future tourism plans following comments from John Penrose, minister for tourism and heritage.
