Coventry and Warwickshire venues ready to thrive after launch of DMO

Venues from the heart of the country are set to capitalise on the legacy of major events, and the development of Coventry and Warwickshire’s new destination management organisation (DMO).

Conference Coventry and Warwickshire returns to The Meetings Show this year and will be joined by six venues from across the region on stand B41. The Meetings Show takes place at ExCeL, London, 29th - 30th June 2022.

The organisation is part of Destination Coventry, the region’s new DMO that launched in 2021. It's seeking to take advantage of the benefits brought by both Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Conference, exhibition and meetings venues from across the region are set to join Conference Coventry and Warwickshire at The Meetings Show, including the British Motor Museum, No Ordinary Hospitality Management, Ashorne Hill Conference Centre, Warwick Conferences, NCC Group and Coventry Conferences.

More than £200 million has been invested across Coventry and Warwickshire to develop it as a leading destination for national and international business tourism. Major events such as Coventry UK City of Culture have seen £172.6 million direct investment into Coventry alone, with a £500 million regeneration of the city centre.

The Coventry and Warwickshire delegation will be part of the 80 square metre West Midlands stand, hosted by West Midlands Growth Company.

No Ordinary Hospitality Management represents a variety of venues in the Midlands including Coombe Abbey Hotel, which can accommodate up to 450 delegates, and St Mary’s Guildhall, which can cater for up to 120 delegates.

Coventry Conferences is a purpose-built conference venue, with 26 spaces suitable for meetings, away days and events for between two and 200 people. The multi-functional rooms, all equipped with state of the art audio-visual and hybrid technology, span across three venues on Coventry University Technology Park.

Warwick Conferences is located on the University of Warwick campus and operates four flexible conference, meeting and event venues. At its central campus venues, it caters for up to 1,200 delegates and has 300 spaces, including a 720 square metre exhibition, banqueting and conferencing space and a collection of tiered theatres.

In the south of Warwickshire, The British Motor Museum is a venue with a charitable purpose and is home to the largest collection of historic British vehicles in the world. It offers experiences from dining amongst its collection of cars and awards dinners, to corporate conferences for up to 600 delegates and outdoor event space for up 5,000 people.

Nearby, Ashorne Hill Conference Centre offers 40 flexible meeting rooms, 110 bedrooms, restaurant, bar and cellar for intimate drinks receptions. The flexible outdoor space is ideal for training exercises, team building activities and outdoor wellbeing. It has recently opened the Carson Centre, a new dedicated space for training and conferences.

The NCC Group comprises of three venues in the heart of England, including the National Conference Centre, Best Western Plus Windmill Village Hotel, Golf Club & Spa and Best Western Plus Manor Hotel. The National Conference Centre has 1,000 free car parking spaces onsite, 49,000 sq. ft. of flexible internal space and a further 204,000 sq. ft. of outdoor space.

Paul Jones, managing director of Conference Coventry and Warwickshire, said: “The conference and exhibition sector in our region has continued to boom since The Meetings Show last year.

“We have seen a major boost from Coventry UK City of Culture and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and venues across the region are now seeking to capitalise on the incredible opportunities brought by these incredible spotlights.

“The region is attracting national and international conferences, exhibitions and business events. As a newly-launched DMO we are working with venues across the region to facilitate these enquiries and we would urge event organisers to consider the heart of the UK for their event.”

Conference Coventry & Warwickshire and its partners will be on stand B41 at The Meetings Show 2022. To find out more visit https://www.conferencecoventryandwarwickshire.co.uk/