Yorkshire’s own celebrity chef, Brian Turner created a mouth-watering range of Yorkshire treats for conference buyers at the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair.

Conference Leeds – the newly formed “super convention bureau” that now represents over 200 venues across West Yorkshire - joined Brian and hosts Yorkshire Tourist Board, at the all day event on Thursday 17th January. The Conference Leeds team showcased to buyers how creative and extra-ordinary meetings and events in Leeds and West Yorkshire can be.

The one day event will give buyers the opportunity to come along and informally meet the Conference Leeds team to find out about new opportunities for events in West Yorkshire and of course, sample some typical Northern hospitality.

Yorkshire fayre on offer to tempt buyers included Yorkshire pudding and Wensleydale rarebit, but the real message of the day was to showcase new developments in the conference industry for Leeds and West Yorkshire.

Nicky Lockwood of Conference Leeds explains:

“Leeds has gone from strength to strength in recent years with major new developments such as the fantastic Saviles Hall at the Royal Armouries which can cater for up to 1000 delegates.

Conference Leeds has now expanded to offer conference buyers a choice of over 200 venues across the West Yorkshire area, including exciting and unique venues such as the National Media Museum in Bradford and Eureka! in Huddersfield. This and the growing accessibility of Leeds through new routes into Leeds Bradford International Airport mean we are welcoming more delegates than ever and we are keen to showcase what we have to offer to conference organisers.”

The event was hailed as a huge success with over 40 buyers attending. Conference Leeds is now talking to several buyers as a result of the event who are hoping to bring their event to Leeds.

Conference Leeds is supported by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency. Andy Tordoff, Head of Rural Renaissance and Tourism for Yorkshire Forward said:
“Tourism makes a significant contribution to the region’s economy, and business tourism has the potential to boost it further, creating new businesses and jobs in the sector. Yorkshire Forward, together with its partners is committed to supporting the growth of tourism in the region.”

ENDS

EDITORS NOTES:
Nicola Lockwood is available for interview on 0113 220 6356,
email: nicola.lockwood@conference-leeds.com
About Conference Leeds

Conference Leeds is a Leeds City Council organisation with funding from Yorkshire Forward, Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale Councils.

The team is based at White Rose House, part of the new Enterprise Leeds initiative between Leeds City Council and Leeds Chamber of Commerce.

Conference Leeds can offer a free venue finding service for anyone wanting to host an event in Leeds and West Yorkshire and markets the area through a series of initiatives.
Business tourism is worth over £450million a year in direct expenditure to the Yorkshire economy

About Yorkshire Forward
Yorkshire Forward is the regional development agency for Yorkshire and the Humber, it exists to represent and help generate sustainable business for the region’s tourism industry, an industry worth £4.1billion to the region annually and employing over 165,000 people, making it one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the region. Yorkshire’s goal, as identified in Bold Vision, Bright Future - The Tourism Marketing Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber 2006 - 2010, is to achieve and increase in the value of tourism earnings to the region by 5% per annum to £5.9bn by 2010.

Further details can be obtained from:
Nicky Lockwood
Conference Leeds
T: 0113 220 6356
E: nicola.lockwood@conference-leeds.com

Press release issued by
Sue Crawley
Fire Circle Ltd
T: 01642 714999
E: sue@fire-circle.co.uk