Marketing Edinburgh, Convention Bureau is the lead organisation for business tourism in Edinburgh and the Lothians. With high levels of product knowledge, specialist skills and effective coordination of venues and support services, the Convention Bureau works with its partners in the city and over 150 members to maintain the profile of Edinburgh as a world-class business tourism destination.

The main focus of the Convention Bureau is to generate for Edinburgh and its members additional and profitable all year round business from the meetings industry markets. Our aim is to further enhance Edinburgh's reputation as an international conference destination and develop the conference sector as an important element of the city's economic success.

In promoting the city and addressing the needs of our members and clients, the Convention Bureau works collaboratively in the following areas:

-   Edinburgh - through marketing and direct sales, winning conferences and events for the city, accruing more than £70m in economic benefit annually

-   Members - through raising the profile of Edinburgh as a conference destination, working to maximise the commercial opportunities for our members and helping them develop their business tourism activities through marketing and development

-   Conference organisers - through a variety of services from helping to prepare bids to advice on venues, accommodation and social programmes for delegates and their companions, thereby helping clients to achieve conference success

-   Stakeholders - through generating significant return on investment and helping to position the city as a leading international destination, Marketing Edinburgh Convention Bureau secures benefits for the wider Scottish economy.

In terms of its role in tourism, Marketing Edinburgh Convention Bureau is an active member of the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) and develops its strategy in relation to ETAG's action plans. See www.etag.org.uk
 
Our governance structure
Strategy and policy are laid down by Marketing Edinburgh's Board of Directors, comprising representatives of our main funding partners (City of Edinburgh Council and VisitScotland) along with co-opted directors representing each category of our membership - venues with accommodation, venues with a difference and conference services - as well as other key agencies in the city such as Scottish Enterprise and the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Our vision
Our vision is for Edinburgh to be recognised as one of the world's top 20 conference destinations

Our mission
The Convention Bureau's mission is to position Edinburgh as a world-class business tourism destination providing substantial economic benefit for the city, through effective and innovative marketing and collaboration with the industry to develop the quality of the city's business tourism facilities, skills and services.

Our values
Our core values underpin how we operate, work with our staff, partners, members and clients and how we deliver our services. The full list of these values can be found by clicking on the link below, but in summary, they are:

• honesty and integrity

• accountability

• professionalism

• pride

• creativity

• fun

Our aims
Reflecting the aims of the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group's strategy for the city, Marketing Edinburgh Convention Bureau is pursuing the following key aims:

• promoting Edinburgh as a leading world-class destination in the meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions market

• focusing on high value association conferences in the priority sectors including life sciences, biotechnology, tourism and financial services

• maximising the impact of new conference related developments in the city including the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)  expansion of additional function space, scheduled to be complete by Spring 2013

• working with in the public sector to attract investment to deliver additional conference spaces for at least 500 delegates and flexible banqueting spaces for a minimum of 1000 guests

• with our partners in the city, identifying and implementing appropriate structures and funding mechanisms for business tourism alongside events, festivals, city branding and inward investment

For further information on Marketing Edinburgh Convention Bureau, please look at other pages on this website and also refer to the following documents:

Business Plan 2011-12

Convention Bureau staff structure

Convention Bureau values

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital - Live, Visit, Invest, Work, Study