A leading Midlands hotel and conferencing venue is advising
companies to rethink their logistics when organising group bookings
and events during next year's Olympic season.
With London and further South hotels now having their space
block booked during the summer, group bookings have become
extremely difficult to accommodate in the capital and surrounding
areas.
And with availability in 2012, Conference Aston is welcoming
those pushed out of South East and London venues by the 'Olympic
displacement' effect to its centrally based hotel.
Conference Aston's head of sales and marketing Christine Page
suggests a number of tour operators and larger group bookings are
looking to escape the Olympic hype of next year.
"It's great news for the Midlands and further north as those who
would have traditionally chosen London or the South East hotels are
being forced out through price hikes or date clashes with the
Olympics and we have certainly reaped the benefits of the 'Olympic
Effect'," she said.
"There's no denying that the games are a fantastic revenue
generator for the South East and the UK as a whole but some people
wish to avoid the increased volume of visitors and travel chaos
that comes hand in hand with a national event of this
magnitude."
"We are perfectly positioned to welcome those who wish to
reroute their groups through the UK and avoid Heathrow and Gatwick
airports by flying into Birmingham or further north and work their
way down the country.
"Our central location means we are still accessible to the
capital, with our venue being only an hour and half train
journey.
"By rethinking the logistics of group tours in the UK, operators
can provide a more relaxed itinerary during the more chaotic
Olympic period with little disruption to those booking."
Conference Aston welcomes more than 54,000 people a year to
Birmingham for training, residential conferences, for weddings and
to stay in its high quality hotel facilities and on site campus
accommodation.
It sits at the heart of Aston University, which is a long
established research-led university known for its world-class
teaching quality and strong links to industry, government and
commerce.