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Southport Portfolio Backs Conference Cloud Campaign

Southport Conferences has signed up to support the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers’ (ABPCO) Conference Cloud campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage conference venues across the UK to offer free wi-fi to delegates, garnering support via an online petition.

The eventual goal of the association is to give conference buyers what they need to run successful, interactive conferences and events in the UK.

With all of the venues in the coastal resort providing wi-fi free of charge for visiting business guests, they join venues and destinations across the UK in backing the campaign, something that Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism Mike Booth feels should be a necessity.

He comments; “It seems ludicrous in today’s technological and information hungry age that wi-fi is not provided free of charge at all business venues. If you are marketing yourself as a business friendly destination, it really should be a key requirement.”

In addition to supporting the Conference Cloud campaign, Southport Conferences, together with the town’s Business Tourism Steering Group have implemented many strategies during 2011 aimed at developing its delegate welcome and further increasing its profile in the business tourism market.

This has included a local campaign designed to maximise awareness of the conferences and events that are taking place in the town, the creation of The Meetings Movement - a targeted focus on the incentive market and the re-launch of ‘Delegate News’ the area’s regular conference update.

In addition, the resort’s flagship venue, the Southport Theatre & Convention Centre (STCC) has launched an Agent’s Reward Club, designed to reward and encourage its regular bookers through added value and special offers.

Mike added; “Showing our support for the ABPCO campaign as well as implementing all of the initiatives that we have done this year highlight the value we place on creating a great environment for doing business in."

"We have created initiatives that complement our existing facilities while retaining quality and value for money, as an incentive destination that works to help delegates and organisers get the best out of their meetings and events.”