RED BULL TECHNOLOGY SEES HUGE GROWTH IN ITS CORPORATE EVENTS BUSINESS AS IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE ITS OFFERING

Lime Venue Portfolio has introduced its first-ever ‘E’ Guide on Environmental Event Planning, kicking off a new series of practical resources focused on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) for event organisers.

This new series builds on the brand’s previous success with its award-winning Beyond Food reports and the Meeting of the Future digital platform. The guides are designed to equip member venues and event planners with actionable strategies for hosting ESG-conscious events.

Over the next 12 months, Lime Venue Portfolio will release a guide dedicated to each aspect of ESG. The series launches this week with the 'E' Guide at Event Sustainability Live, taking place at London ExCeL on 20-21 November. The 'S' Guide will follow in the spring at International Confex, with the 'G' Guide debuting at The Meetings Show.

In line with the brand’s commitment to data-driven insights, each guide will feature contributions from industry experts, partners, and cutting-edge research, both from within and beyond the events sector. These resources promise to be among the most practical and comprehensive guides available, catering to event professionals at all levels of experience.

Jo Austin, Conference & Event Sustainability Lead at Compass UK&I and Sales Director at Lime Venue Portfolio, said: “This new series focuses on providing practical, actionable tools – from templates for addressing food waste to communication strategies for highlighting an event’s sustainability efforts. We believe these guides will be a game-changer for event organisers.”

Attendees at Event Sustainability Live will have the exclusive opportunity to download the 'E' Guide and engage with Lime Venue Portfolio representatives about all things ESG.

The guide will also be available for public download from the content hub on www.limevenueportfolio.com following the event.

The Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel has opened its eagerly awaited 'Garden View' room, now available for meeting and event bookings. Designed with delegate well-being in mind, this new events space features an inspiring ‘garden wall’ and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offering panoramic views of the historic Piccadilly Gardens in the centre of Manchester.

With dozens of bookings already secured, the Garden View room is open for business and poised to become a premier venue for memorable medium-sized meetings and events, with a capacity of up to 140 guests. Bathed in natural daylight, the space provides a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere ideal for conferences, exhibitions, breakfast awards, lunches, afternoon teas, and networking events.

This launch comes on the heels of the hotel’s recent £3 million refurbishment, which revamped 280 bedrooms and reception area, further cementing its reputation as a top go-to destination in Manchester’s meetings and events industry.

Aziza Yessi, Sales Director at Mercure Manchester Piccadilly, remarked: "With business levels growing, we wanted to create a fresh stand-out events facility for around 100 guests. This modern space offers memorable and impressive city views and an inspiring place to reset and focus. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing our facilities and providing a high-level experience for our meetings and events guests."

The four-star Mercure Manchester Piccadilly has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last 18 months, playing a key role in enriching the city's vibrant heritage and promising future. Its extensive International Suite stands out as one of Manchester's top event venues, accommodating up to 800 guests. The hotel is set to continue upgrading its facilities, guaranteeing an outstanding experience for business and leisure travellers.

Meet In Wales is set to take to the stage at ibtm this month, as it rounds off 2024’s extensive programme of engagement with the business event community. Continuing the team’s recent sector focus on the creative industries, Wales Ambassador and Head of Film at Bangor University, Nathan Abrams, will be sharing his thoughts on Wales as both a creative hub and inspiring film location during his session entitled: From Stage to Screen: What the Events Industry Can Learn from the Film Industry. In fact, just this year saw the much-anticipated launch of HBO’s second season of hit show House of the Dragon, which used North Wales as a key location, underlining the destination’s natural landscapes, its affinity with storytelling, and its strong links to the wider international creative and media industries.

Nathan is just one of many influential Ambassadors who are focused on promoting Wales as a destination for business events to nine priority sectors. His focus is to help raise the profile of Wales’ bustling creative industry, which encompasses advertising, media and broadcast as well as production, e-sports and games. A number of new ambassadors from the field have joined in recent months including John Jackson, CEO, esports Wales, Adam Amor, Founder of content and media production agency Buffoon Media, Richard Hebblewhite, Senior Lecturer in Computing at Wrexham University. The Welsh Government works across each sector, supporting the programme in an attempt to help business thrive in Wales.

At ibtm, the Meet In Wales team will also be taking the spotlight at a number of high profile main stage sessions, two of which include Head of Business Events, Heledd Williams, imparting her wealth of experience and knowledge during discussions surrounding the ibtm World Trends Report 2025.

Heledd Williams said: “We’re delighted that Wales has been invited to contribute to the discussion surrounding the Trends Report, allowing us to share our own insights and initiatives such as the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. This has been a transformative year for Wales and its business events division - a year in which we have been recognised at both the M&IT Awards and miaList for the first time. We have attracted some incredible events and helped to cement Wales’ position as a cultural and creative destination for business events.”

Meet In Wales will be collaborating with its industry partners to showcase the business events sector in Wales at its stand - G10. The team will be exhibiting alongside Meet Cardiff, ICC Wales, Celtic Collection, Vale Resort and Hensol Castle, unveiling its latest updates and diving into the exciting features of its trailblazing ambassador programme. Plus, they’ll have some delightful Welsh treats on offer.