Manchester economy to reap £30m from Conservative Party Annual Conference

The Conservative Party’s Annual Conference could generate millions of pounds for Manchester when it lands in the city later this week.

Prime Minister Theresa May, along with her cabinet, Conservative MPs and as many as 12,000 delegates and exhibitors will meet at Manchester Central for the conference’s fifth iteration.

Destination marketing organisation (DMO) Marketing Manchester has forecast the four-day event to drive £30m into the local economy when it gets underway on Sunday (October 1).

Hotels, restaurants and bars will be among the firms most likely to see an increase in business, Marketing Manchester said.

Sheona Southern, the DMO’s managing director, commented: “Manchester is pleased to welcome the Conservative Party Conference.

“The event is a fantastic opportunity for the city, not just in terms of the economic impact of visitor spend, but also in demonstrating Manchester’s strengths as a comprehensive conference destination and area of political significance.”

She continued: “The Prime Minister and Chancellor have recently taken steps to renew their commitment to the Northern Powerhouse initiative, and we look forward to hearing how the party will work with Manchester and other cities across the North of England as our development continues.”

Manchester City Council Chief Executive Joanne Roney OBE commented: “Manchester is well-versed in capturing the country’s attention for major national events, with last year’s Euroscience OpenForum and Olympic Heroes Parade testament to this.

“So we look forward to welcoming another large-scale conference to the city, generating a significant boost to the regional economy and showing thousands of delegates the excellent visitor experience that Manchester has to offer.”

Shaun Hinds, chief exec of Manchester Central, said of the conference: “This will be the ninth political party conference Manchester Central has hosted, which further establishes the city’s status as a leading conference and events destination.

“Without doubt, we will showcase the very best of what the venue and the wider city has to offer.”

According to Marketing Manchester, business tourism was worth £810m for the Greater Manchester economy in 2015, with around 4.5 million delegates coming to the city.

The Conservative Party Annual Conference will take place from Sunday, October 1 to Wednesday, October 4.