Greater Manchester has set out its ambitions to target international conference and events in 2025, ahead of a strong year with new attractions, venue openings, and accommodation to offer delegates and event planners. 

The city-region hopes to build on the success of 2024, which saw major global events hosted in Greater Manchester including the MTV EMAs, BLAST Esports R6 Manchester Major 2024, and the Herbalife 2024 European & Africa Extravaganza. 

Prestigious conferences secured for 2025 include the British Association of Urological Surgeons’ Annual Scientific Meeting 2025, CYBERUK 2025, and the UK Space Conference 2025. 43 conference and events have been secured by Marketing Manchester and the Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), generating an estimated £70m to the local economy, with over 58,000 delegates. 

The city-region continues to grow and expand its existing meetings and events venues, with several new upgrades and openings coming in 2025, highlights include: 

Housing the largest collection of work steam engines in the UK, the Science and Industry Museum’s Power Hall will reopen following a five-year closure and renovation of the Grade II listed building, providing a historic backdrop for unique events, dinners and receptions. The museum also offers use of its 1830 warehouse, with four rooms and up to 300 capacities.  

Opened in October 2023, Aviva Studios is a new arts centre offering 13,300m2 of flexible indoor and outdoor space with capacity for up to 5,000 people. The venue includes a theatre and concert space, with removable seating; a large connecting warehouse which is taller than four double-decker buses and has direct truck access, a social area providing break out space, bar and pizza takeaway restaurant, and 2,100m2 of south-facing outdoor space with Wi-Fi for outdoor activities year-round.

As the UK’s biggest music-first concert arena, with 23,500 capacities, Co-op Live opened in mid-2024 as part of the Etihad Campus, home of Manchester City football club. With a focus on sustainability, including rainwater collection, and renewable energy, spaces on offer include 32 bars, restaurants and lounges available for private hire, including Vertu Place with a 22m bar and capacity for 2,500 guests; and the exclusive Bentley Record Room as a luxury lounge for 100 people. 

This year contemporary art gallery The Whitworth celebrates its 10th anniversary and hosts an exclusive exhibition of J.M.W Turner In Light and Shade, displaying the artist’s Liber Studiorum masterpieces in full for the first time in 100 years. The gallery offers a light and airy space in its café, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views across Whitworth Par, which can be hired for special events, with a new conference and events package offer set to be revealed soon. 

Work has begun to extend the 125-year-old Victorian Grade II listed former railway bridge Castlefield Viaduct, which opened in 2022 as a small urban park to the public. The 150-meter project will increase to over 350-meters allowing city visitors to connect with more nature. Run by the National Trust, the site has an events space available for use, offering a unique indoor/outdoor venue for meetings. 

The Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City FC, have shared plans to increase the stadium capacity to 60,000, with a new 400-bed hotel also in development, and new experiences including a stadium rooftop walk experience, and ‘City Hall’ a new events and conference space to upgrade its existing offer. Currently the stadium offers 22 events spaces, 52 executive boxes, outdoor space and pitch hire, and is fully accessible.

City centre venue AO Arena celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025 and has recently seen upgrades worth £50m across the venue, which includes new bar and restaurant The Mezz, offering an elevated pre-show experience and great incentive offering. Spaces are also available for events, including the main arena which can accommodate 3,120 sq meters of events space, having previously hosting events such as the Davis Cup in 2024. 

Manchester Airport: upgraded terminal and new destinations

As the biggest UK airport outside of London, Manchester Airport’s major upgrades to its Terminal 2 project will reach the next phase in 2025, with 70% of flights now utilising the new terminal which is undergoing a £1bn transformation project. A new private terminal, Aether, has also launched offering check-in, security, lounge, and chauffer transfer to the airplane, as one exclusive and convenient option. Visitors can currently fly to over 200 destinations, including direct flights to New York, Beijing, Shanghai, Qatar, and Dubai.

Manchester Central Convention Centre recently launched a new food and drink offer with Junction – a daytime café and social space, which by night turns to a small-plate restaurant with cocktail menu. The new venue is a new addition to Manchester Central, which is the largest dedicated events space in the city centre.

Offering 224-bedrooms, Treehouse Manchester is a £200m redevelopment of a former hotel that opened on 19 March with nature-inspired rooms, three dining spaces including a rooftop restaurant and zero waste eatery, and on-site facilities like 43-seat ‘Flix’ screening room, and three meeting rooms named Willow, Cedar, and Chestnut, accommodating up to 400 delegates.

Mollie’s: 1950s TV studio converts to new hotel

Expected to open in the later part of 2025, Mollie’s takes over a former 1950s TV studio offering 130 bedrooms and a 150-cover diner-style restaurant. The building will share the top two floors with high-end Soho House, offering exclusive-use lounges and private dining for meetings and events, with a focus on high-spec spaces with the latest technology paired with mid-Century design. 

Following a refurbishment of a former Park Inn hotel, the newly renamed Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre offers 252 Scandinavian-inspired rooms and suites next to the AO Arena and Manchester Victoria station. For meetings and events, the hotel offers seven different spaces, with capacity for up to 220 delegates. An on-site restaurant and bar offering all day dining, and guests can unwind in the spa, which includes a heated indoor pool, sauna, steam room, and gym. 

Speaking about the opportunity for hosting conferences, meetings, and events in Greater Manchester, Stephanie Newton, Head of Business Tourism at Marketing Manchester, said:

“Conference and events are a major part of Greater Manchester’s economy, and the city-region welcomes thousands of international delegates every year. The wide range of large and small venues across the region make us a great destination for major events. 

“2025 is a great time to organise a meeting in Greater Manchester, with the exciting developments across the city bringing new and innovative spaces for meetings and events, exceptional accommodation to suit all budgets, and a line-up of cultural events for delegates to enjoy as part of their visit.” 

For more information, visit www.meetinmanchester.com