London is set to be a firm favourite for US event planners as IMEX America closes, according to Green & Fortune.
The boutique hospitality company, boasting some of the capital’s crown jewel event spaces including Kings Place, Sea Containers Events and Rose Court Events, is gearing up for an upturn in US events as the dollar exchange rate strengthens against the pound. The pound has seen a 22% falloff in value from just six months ago and has spurred a focus for US corporates to host their events in the UK and Europe.
The UK has also just announced the reintroduction of a tax-free shopping scheme for international visitors to the United Kingdom giving London an even greater pull for event organisers and the b-leisure market too.
Green & Fortune’s recent Stateside roadshow with London & Partners has already paid dividends with high demand for its key locations in Kings Cross, the South Bank and in the heart of Westminster. Each of Green & Fortune’s sites has key neighbourhood identifiers and draws for different delegate types:
· Kings Cross, home to Google, Expedia and InMotion Ventures, along with tech start-ups and disruptors, is London’s biggest, buzzing tech hub and the location for Kings Place.
· It’s Westminster location, Central Hall Westminster, is at the heart of Britain’s administration and attracts associations and clients, such as pharmaceuticals, who are more restricted by governance.
· Two commanding outposts on the South Bank – Sea Containers Events and Rose Court Events – draw creatives and brands who want to be seen as being at the top of their game.
While each venue has a unique character, Green & Fortune’s values live throughout each site with modern service styles and restaurant standard food and drink a given. Centralised services for AV and tech mean that planners have ease of booking and manging their events. Accommodation can also easily be sourced in each locale either with major brands such as Hilton, Marriott and IHG or with London-centric boutique boltholes such as The Other House or The Standard.
Founded in 2008, Green & Fortune has hosted some of the world’s biggest brands and many of the UK’s forward thinking content providers such as The BBC, Wired, and C21 Media. Green & Fortune has secured commendations from both domestic and international clients and its major award wins help stamp its presence as one of London’s best independent venue operators.
Rebecca Harris, Business Development Director, says: “London is well and truly back on the map as an event destination: the world marvelled at the recent spectacle of HM The Queen’s funeral which highlighted London’s ability to stage incredibly high-profile events and the exchange rate is without doubt one of the biggest contributors to why the capital is again the go to destination. We’re excited that many of our Stateside clients will be coming back earlier than anticipated and we can’t wait to show off our new location, Rose Court Events, to many customers who haven’t been to the UK recently.”
Green & Fortune exhibited at IMEX America, 11-13 October.
