Conference visitors spend four times more than tourists

Conference delegates spend up to four times more money per trip than leisure visitors, says a new report for the UK's national tourist boards.

Delegates spend between £300 and £600 per trip against an average £150 by leisure tourists, the study found.

And, according to project co-ordinator Claire Goold, senior research officer at the Wales Tourist Board, conferences can offer other lucrative opportunities such as attracting additional visitors to the region.

For example, 17% of the 4,276 delegates surveyed had brought with them a companion unconnected to the conference, each spending an extra £40-£63. This percentage rose to 20% for corporate and academic events.

Delegates also represented potential repeat tourists. Some 39% said they intended returning for a short break or holiday, while the desire to come back rose to 56% among conference visitors from overseas.

Some 13% of delegates attended conferences held in hotels - and hotels put up 62% of delegates staying away from home for more than one night.