2024 has been a defining year for Manchester, hosting some of the largest and influential global events of the year. From the ‘world cup of tennis’ Davis Cup in September to the star-studded MTV EMA’s. Manchester Convention Bureau has been waving the flag for the city at trade shows like IMEX America and CHS Birmingham, showing the world what Manchester has to offer.  

Here are just some of what the Manchester Convention Bureau have been working on this Autumn:  

📅 September

Davis Cup

Following a hugely successful group stage in 2023, Manchester’s AO arena was once again chosen to be the host venue of the 2024 Davis Cup Group Stage in September 2024. The Manchester Sports Bidding Unit, which is part of the Manchester Convention Bureau (an extension of Marketing Manchester) worked in close collaboration with colleagues from MCRactive, Manchester City Council and the LTA on the bid to bring the event to the city.  

The 2024 event broke the all-time attendance record for the tournament, with over 37,000 spectators gathering to watch the three-day tournament and 15,700 tickets sold for Sunday alone—more spectators than Wimbledon’s Centre Court. The competition is estimated to have provided £10.1m to Manchester’s economy. 

Green Party Conference

The Green Party conference was secured through a partnership approach between Marketing Manchester which led the bidding process, Manchester Central as the host venue, and the recently formed Manchester Accommodation BID. The conference brought around 1,200 delegates and £1.7 million in economic impact for the city. It marked the party’s first conference in Manchester. 

Herbalife Conference

AO Arena provided the perfect backdrop for the energy and excitement of The Herbalife Europe & Africa Extravaganza! The event was a huge success, with Manchester hosting over 15,000+ Herbalife distributors and partners, giving them a perfect setting to come together to learn, grow, and celebrate their successes. 

📅 October

THE – World Academic Summit

The University of Manchester hosted THE World Academic Summit 2024. 550+ delegates and 130+ speakers convened at the flagship event to focus on social responsibility and the obligation of universities to make a real difference in people’s lives. Adding to the excitement of the summit, the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings were revealed, naming The University of Manchester 53rd out of over 2000 institutions. The Times Higher Education World Academic Summit served as a powerful reminder of Manchester's strengths as a hub for intellectual capital, innovation, and collaboration. 

IMEX America

Manchester Convention Bureau partnered with MeetEngland for this year’s IMEX America in Las Vegas, promoting Manchester as a leading global host city. IMEX America is the largest trade show in the US for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry. The show brings together suppliers (destinations and venues) and buyers (associations and event planners) together from every sector of the meetings industry. 

CHS Birmingham

The annual Conference and Hospitality Show (CHS) was held in Birmingham this year, with members of Manchester Convention Bureau attending alongside Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Manchester and The Studio Manchester. Working together to meet with prospective partners, build connections with leading venues, hotels and meeting suppliers.

WOMEX

World Music Expo celebrated it’s 30th anniversary in Manchester Central over five days of conferences and showcases. Over 2,500 professionals, including 260 performing artists, come together from 90 countries, making WOMEX the leading networking platform for the world music industry. Over the course of the event, WOMEX provided over £7.2 million economic impact for the city.  

📅 November

MTV EMA’s

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Manchester’s Co-op Live would be hosting one of the biggest nights in the music calendar – MTV European Music Awards. Bringing huge names like Raye, Shawn Mendez and Busta Rhymes were just some of the iconic stars to play at the award show, with international names like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter up for awards. It’s estimated to have provided millions of pounds for the city’s economy and boosted Manchester’s profile for hosting world-class and international events.  

As a city Manchester is already well-known for its rich music history and heritage, but in recent years it has carved out a solid reputation as a place to enjoy live music. 

IBTM

This year, the MCB team is attending IBTM in Barcelona, the leading global event for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry. Every year, the show welcomes around 2500+ exhibitors including exciting destinations, hotels and quality suppliers ready to meet and network with 12,000+ industry professionals. Manchester’s presence will help to build connections with event organisers across the globe and ensure the city-region can secure more opportunities for the future.

With 2024 nearly coming to a close, it’s been a defining year for Manchester. The Manchester Convention Bureau and Marketing Manchester have worked tirelessly to bring some world-class international events to the city, with even more in the pipeline for years to come.  

Earlier this year, Manchester was announced as the Best Event Destination 2024 by Major Events International. This is a huge honour for the city, and it reflects the strong partnership approach between the Marketing Manchester, the Manchester Convention Bureau and stakeholders. 

January to March 2025 will see some major events take place in the city, including the UK Space Conference, JAMfest Europe and CYBERUK - the UK government's flagship cyber security event.  

The team will be attending key events like PCMA Convening Leaders in Houston, SMU International in New York, and International Confex in London, providing the opportunity to showcase Manchester’s strengths as a conference and events destination to a global audience. 2025 will be another exciting year for Manchester’s growing events industry.