Everyone's loving London

This is where London can tick so many boxes - the most visited city in the world has an expanding choice of venues

Author Samuel Johnson’s observation in 1777 still resonates in London over 200 years later: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

It is one to which a certain other 21st century Mr Johnson will no doubt testify. But what is the secret to London’s allure that has spanned centuries and continues to excite visitors and residents alike?

Whether a born and bred Cockney, an adopted advocate, a serial Londoner or a first-timer; London promises a unique experience with every visit. And that’s thanks to its relentless ability to reinvent itself generation after generation whilst remaining true to its spell-binding history: a fascinating juxtaposition of a city at the forefront of innovation and design yet still peppered with rich culture and heritage. With a recent injection of investment owing to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer in what has just been crowned the best city on the planet and is already the most visited city in the world, there really isn’t a better time to visit the capital of cool.

World capital of business
As the world capital of business, London is consistently one of the world’s leading event destinations attracting more event delegates than any other city on the planet, with the South East in particular providing good demographics for attracting visitors to events - both consumer and B2B. London is consistently voted the world’s leading business destination, with over seven million business travellers visiting each year.

London will of course remain a great city to visit in 2013 and beyond – with magnificent hotels and more than 1,000 truly unique events venues ready to welcome and host events, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which will welcome visitors from 2013 onwards. With conference venues from the traditional and historical to the modern and funky; the corporate and ceremonious to the unique and quirky, London offers 500 inspirational settings including 16 major exhibition centres such as ICC London ExCeL and the Barbican, and unique spaces such as Wembley Stadium, The O2 Arena and Historic Royal Palace the Tower of London.

Regeneration on a grand scale has taken place throughout London as we approach the Olympic Games this summer. Mass investment has been driven into the city as a result of the trust placed on its shoulders to deliver the greatest show on the planet. The city is seeing over £11 billion worth of amelioration projects such as the regeneration of London’s East End; the enhancement of its transport infrastructure and the development of new hotels and attractions. With that size of economic investment comes a long-term confidence in a city, one which business visitors and event organisers will benefit from both in the run up to, during and after the Olympic Games. The opening of these great new venues will provide fantastic opportunities for the events industry to harness exposure to new audiences and capitalise on a changing industry backdrop.

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will be the perfect location for a raft of event activity. Following the Games this summer, there will be seven new hospitality areas within the Olympic Park including the ArcelorMittal Orbit – the tallest sculpture in the UK – which will be able to host 200 guests for a reception with fabulous views across the stadium; the Aquatics Centre and the Velodrome will also become key venues for gala events, and the Multiuse Arena which is known as the ‘Copper Box’ will become London’s third biggest indoor arena. The south end of the park will also offer temporary exhibition and conference venue space as well as the actual stadium.

With over £6 billion of investment into the city’s transport infrastructure ahead of the Games this summer, the benefits from new lines and faster services will continue to be felt, providing super-fast connectivity that spreads right across London. Further developments planned for the city include the major Crossrail development by 2018, which will link east to west to dramatically reduce journey times, mean London’s connectivity has never been better.

London boasts a triple ‘A’ rating – Accessibility, Affordability and Acceptability. With the global economic climate still fragile, budgets and ROI are still at the top of every business’s agenda and any city destination chosen for a conference or event needs to deliver. This is where London can tick so many boxes. London has capacity to cater for the most intimate meeting to the largest congress, with options to suit every price range. With over 100,000 rooms including a raft of budget hotels, hostels and university accommodation available, the city is well equipped to host groups on a slightly tighter budget.

Centre of talent and creativity
London’s strength with the MICE sector lies in its world-class variety, when business travellers choose London they are choosing a world-class city which delivers on experience and on value for money. More than 50 major international communities have made the UK capital their home. In London you can hear more than 300 different languages spoken in the city. This remarkable diversity makes London an ideal destination for every business, every event and every delegate.

With the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games just around the corner, the theme of people competing, working together and achieving greatness is not just one which remains exclusive to London’s sports offer– it’s also very much at the heart of London’s business and meetings ethos too. When it comes to cities which inspire, London still remains a number one global destination. It’s a city which is constantly changing and pushing boundaries, and offers an inspiring platform for events and venues which are sure to motivate delegates and business visitors - so they too can achieve their very best.

A city with business in its DNA, London has long provided inspiration to some of history’s most eminent scientists, mathematicians, engineers, artist and athletes. More than half of the UK’s top 100 listed companies (the FTSE 100) and over 100 of Europe’s 500 largest companies are headquartered in central London – so it’s also a globally recognised hub of business.

London is luckily enough to be home for some of the biggest technology companies and providers in the world. Our conference venues and hotels are equipped with the latest technology and as the next Olympic host city of course there is a real drive to make London the most innovative and multimedia rich city in the world.

Leading Visitor Destination
It’s not hard to see why London has just been named the best city in the world - with a plethora of attractions, iconic sights, historical venues and a calendar of year-round world-class events, London has all of the ingredients to give every trip and event the “wow-factor”. But all this fun doesn’t have to come at a price. A major benefit of London’s cultural offering is that many of the events, museums and galleries in the capital are free – which is a huge cost saving to any delegate and a perfect way to compliment any business programme.

Around every corner of London visitors will find new and exciting options – it’s a city of choice, with a dazzling array of music, theatre and museums. One evening business visitors could be listening to the latest opera at the Royal Opera House and the next they could be sitting in the legendary Dover Street Jazz Café, drifting away to the hushed sounds of a mellow saxophone.

Wherever you are in London, the city exudes an irrefutable, local charm. With 33 distinctive and diverse boroughs offering their own little slice of London, there really is no better place to be exposed to such a melting pot of cultures, traditions and customs. From the ‘Cockney Pride’ of London’s East End to the pomp and ceremony of London’s Royal Family; from Michelin-starred restaurants with zest and finesse to London’s bustling markets offering the finest cuts of meat to authentic street food; from the bright lights and buzz of Theatreland to the calm and respite of London’s hidden sanctuaries such as Wimbledon Village, London life is utterly compelling providing a local ambience around every corner.

Complimenting this local flavour is the vast choice that London offers its visitors: the city boasts more than 40,000 shops including Europe’s largest shopping centre, Westfield Stratford City, 48 Michelin-starred restaurants, more than 6,000 restaurants offering menus from 70 major country cuisines, 300 museums and galleries (17 of which offer free entry), 150 theatres, 147 parks, more than 10,000 bars and clubs and four World Heritage sites (Tower of London, Kew Gardens, Maritime Greenwich and the Houses of Parliament). London also has a huge amount of green spaces including more than 600 garden squares, 148 parks and gardens, 122 heaths, commons and greens, 16 city farms, eight Royal Parks and one historic battlefield. It is one of the greenest capitals in the world.

As London prepares for its Olympic host city status, it continues with business as usual, hosting world-class events and conferences from all over the globe, however there is no doubt that the Olympic Games have created a sense of excitement and ambition not seen in London for generations. Even for a majestic city like London that rarely stands still, the number of new openings, refurbishments and regeneration projects are truly astounding - there really has never been a better time to consider bringing conference and business events into the UK’s capital.

Further information
visitlondon.com/business