Convention centres
Work is well underway at the Citygate Centre to create an additional conference venue by December 2012. The main auditorium will seat 750-plus delegates and has been specifically designed as a versatile space to facilitate a wide range of events. The centre will also have a number of smaller meeting rooms, including a designated crèche and green room.
The Bournemouth International Centre nestles in the cliff face with hotel accommodation and smaller meeting venues located on either side of the building, making logistics easy for the delegates. It can accommodate up to 10,000 delegates for attractive rates with exhibition space of 6,000m2. There are four distinctive halls, which can be booked together for multi-hall conferences or separately for individual events.
Conference hotels
The Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott can cater for up to 350 delegates theatre- style and has 160 bedrooms on-site. Elegant guest rooms, fine dining, 18 meeting rooms, exhibitions space and high speed internet is provided.
The Carton Hotel can join up with sister Hotel East Cliff Court to hold residential conferences for up to 140 delegates. A 10-minute walk from the town center and set on the quiet East Cliff of Bournemouth, both of these four star hotels provide panoramic sea views.
Gala dinners
The Pavilion Ballroom provides a 1920’s style setting for 500 for a banquet and 900 for a reception. The O2 Academy offers flexibility, Victorian character and history for a banquet for 400 and 1,525 for a reception. AFC Bournemouth stadium can provide both banquets and receptions for 350.
Getting there and around
Bournemouth International Airport is a key national and international gateway to southern England and is undergoing a £45 million redevelopment that will see the introduction of a new departures terminal. It is six miles from the centre and annually serves around 800,000 passengers and 45 destinations. London Waterloo is a mere 97 minutes away. Fast daily services also offer regular direct connections to the Midlands, the North and Scotland. In terms of getting around, much of Bournemouth is within walking distance of the town centre.
Accommodation
Bournemouth has 900 bedrooms. Quantum Hotel Group has made its first acquisition in Bournemouth: three hotels, all in a prime location on Bournemouth’s Eastcliff, were re-launched in July 2011 following a £1m-plus refurbishment. Other hotels include the Premier Inn Central with 120 rooms and the Royal Bath Hotel with 140.
Partner programme ideas
The conference bureau, Meet Bournemouth, can provide bespoke partner programmes to suit your audience whether it be a land-based treasure hunt or a leisurely walk around the world-renowned Compton Acres Gardens. Nearby, delegates will find the New Forest, Poole and the Jurassic Coast – Dorset’s stunning World Heritage site, recording 185 million years of history in its rugged cliffs.
Association events
In 2012, 2,000 attended the Police Federation of England & Wales conference and the Association of Anesthetists of GB & Ireland's Annual Congress attracted more than 800 delegates.
In 2013, the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) event is expected to pull in 8,000 visitors in July. The British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) will be bringing 2,500 visitors to its 39th Annual Convention in May. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is expecting 4,000 visitors to over five days.
Meet Bournemouth
Contact: Karina Gregory
Tel: 01202 456 545
Email: karina.gregory@bhlive.co.uk
Web: www.meetbournemouth.co.uk
