Manchester
Manchester
Where great minds meet
- Recognised as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Manchester is an edgy city where innovation never stands still and will inspire and educate delegates.
- Easily accessible with a leading convention venue in the heart of its city centre.
- Manchester invites delegates to soak up its architecture, shopping arcades, lively culture and its world-famous sporting prowess.
- Manchester is a musical mecca, giving the world Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and Take That, among other successful British bands.
- The University of Manchester is the largest single-site university in the UK, with the biggest student population. It was here in 1917 that Ernest Rutherford split the atom and changed the world. The city’s scientific revolution continues, with the local invention of graphene - the world’s thinnest and strongest material.
Getting here
The ‘Gateway to the North’ is one of the most accessible cities in the UK.
BY PLANE
Manchester International Airport is the largest airport in the UK outside of London. More than 70 airlines ensure Manchester is directly connected to over 200 global destinations including almost every major European city, as well as global hubs such as Beijing, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and New York.
BY TRAIN
Trains from Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly station in the city centre take around 20 minutes. They run every 10 minutes. Average journey time from London to Manchester is two hours and one hour, 30 minutes from Birmingham.
BY CAR
Manchester is connected to the south via the M6 motorway. Driving from London to Manchester takes around three hours. From Birmingham, it’s around two hours.
Expertise
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Life sciencesA city of firsts, Manchester has a decorated history in medical advancements. Its universities have strong track-records of working with industry and provide a climate where innovation can grow and prosper. Manchester has Europe’s largest clinical academic campus, and is home to several medical research institutes; Europe’s biggest cancer treatment centre; and the largest clinical trials in the world. The city also boasts a unique health innovation initiative which helps companies gain an important foothold, working with the NHS. |
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Advanced manufacturingManchester’s heritage in manufacturing extends over many decades, with over 116,000 people now employed in the sector. Today, manufacturing reflects the development and adoption of some trailblazing technologies, with an expanding focus on advanced manufacturing and materials such as graphene. The scale of opportunity for advanced manufacturing in Manchester is limitless. Thousands of companies choose to base their research, design, development and manufacturing here. Global players like Kellogg’s, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Hitachi, Thales and Siemens have invested heavily in the region. |
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Creative and digitalManchester is one of Europe’s most successful creative, digital, tech and media hubs and the industry is growing faster here than anywhere else in the UK. No other European city has invested into this sector more than Manchester, with over £33.5 billion of investment made by both the public and private sector during the last few years. The city’s key strength lies in how its various physical and geographical clusters – MediaCityUK, Corridor Manchester, Manchester Science Partnerships, The Sharp Project, and the Northern Quarter – collaborate. Collectively they work to break down traditional vertical sectors, creating countless innovation opportunities around media production, software development, augmented reality, digital health, e-commerce, gaming and data analytics, to name just a few. |
Where to stay
There are 10,652 bedrooms within Manchester city centre - many within 10 minutes of the city’s key conference venue, Manchester Central. The wider Greater Manchester area offers a total of 25,362 bedrooms.
| 5* hotels | 501 bedrooms |
| 4* hotels | 4,559 bedrooms |
| 3* and under properties | 4,463 bedrooms |
| Other (student accommodation / home sharing) | 1,129 bedrooms |
Venues
Manchester’s venues range from historic landmarks to a first-class convention centre, conference hotels and a raft of unique and unusual options.
Incentives
Manchester is one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities in the UK. Use its unique character to create an exciting and motivating incentive itinerary.
Manchester Convention Bureau
The Manchester Convention Bureau can help planners find venues or conference centres, by providing a free accommodation booking service and a free venue location service.
The Convention Bureau also has an Ambassador programme, offering partnerships and support to inspire and enable individuals to host prestigious national and international conferences.
