With the purpose of be able to make use of their accessibility, it is obvious that the venues also need to offer the full capacity required by meeting organizers and delegates.
The conference destination with easy access to entertainment, restaurants, bars and shopping are the betters. In a normal cognition, the location is everything, if there are hotels can walk distance to conference, it also will be a plus. Close to major shopping and entertainment districts is also one indispensable facilities.
The beaches and Seaburn are the notable attractions for tourists to Sunderland. And the National Glass Centre established in 1998, presents the Sunderland’s proud history of glass-making. The National Glass Centre also is the perfect place to host conference and business meetings. It has free car parking and just several minutes walk from the metro station, connecting the visitors to national rail and regional airports. The riverside room looks out across the quayside. The room can be hired as a whole or partitioned off to create large and small conference room. It cans accommodate hundreds of people. The Pod can hold small business meetings, ceremonies and private dining. The Sunrise room is perfect for a small meeting, interviews. It is a boardroom which has a capacity of 8 people. The National Glass Centre has Throwing stones Restaurant is available for private functions and corporate hospitality. Host too many prestigious awards and ceremonies it is a versatile space in a majestic setting.
Taking London as an example of a successful destination in the conference market, it is obvious that a main factor for it success is not in doubt its good impression. It is rich in heritage and culture, good image provide the willingness of customers go to visit. A conference destination which has no special image, or too worse, it has a undoubtedly negative image in public’s perception, will have no prospect of the marketing. Images can be understood as many forms, including personal experience, but most of images are form media expectations like newspaper, TV. Once famously hailed as the “largest shipbuilding Town in the world” Ships were building on the wear from at least 1346 onwards and by the mid17 century Sunderland was one of the chief ship building towns in the England. Sunderland also is the famous British glass product origin. The City of Sunderland has been commended several times on its commitment to preserving its natural faculties. As such, Sunderland has been awarded prestigious titles by the Britain in Bloom collective in 1993, 1997 and 2000.
Different from other big cities, Sunderland has a tranquility belong itself. Relative to the crowded streets and noisy abortion of some big cities such as London or Newcastle, Sunderland is quieter than them.
The safe of the destination also is an important factor that conference organizers will consider. In 2008crimes were recorded in Sunderland. This was 12,706 crimes less than in 1998. In 2009 the total number of recorded crime in Sunderland was 5,617, a decrease of 9.6% from 2007. And Sunderland’s crime rates are less than Newcastle’s and London’s. Since 2002/03 the rate of total crime in Sunderland has fallen by 51.6 per 1,000 populations to 82.5. In England & Wales a similar fall was experienced, down by 25.2 per 1,000 populations to 87.0. The total number of recorded crimes in Sunderland fell from 38,026 to 23,120 between 2002/03 and 2008/09 and in England & Wales from 5,899,450 to 4,703,814 over the same period. (0ffical website, 2010)
Sunderland has very good human resources provide the conferences needs. The events management and tourism students have learned about conference knowledge in sophomore. And Sunderland has many training institutions include the conference managements. Because training is an essential factor to the continuing success of all business, new technology and a more flexible workforce. If Sunderland conferences need more staff with training, the Sunderland meritorious service facilities can handle it.
The health insurance also can be provided services by Sunderland. Normally, health security need not listed in the conference or exhibition projects, but for some special meetings as have old people and physical disabilities participated in the meeting. Sunderland has dozens of different sizes hospitals which distributed in every place. Take Sunderland Royal Hospital as an example, the hospital service more than 40 such like Audiology, Cardiology, Cardio therapy Surgery, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Neurology and so on. It has the perfect hardware and software facilities like ambulances, enough beds, nursing and so on.
The catering arrangement is one of reasons attract customers. The seafood is advantageous product in Sunderland. Except seafood, in Sunderland, people will also find many restaurants from differences countries, such like American food, Italian food, Chinese food, Thai food and Indian food.
The support from the destination is the final factors of conferences organizers choosing the destination. Just as some charity conference and activities, make the meaningful image for the city, most city government are very support the establishment and pay all the money. Sunderland has held the Air show and the Pink’s concert, got great support form government and citizen.
Above I enumerated a few good points about Sunderland can become a conference destination. Then I will give some negative points about Sunderland is unsuited place to be a conference destination.
One reason of disapprove is that Newcastle is a strong competitor just beside Sunderland. Compare the city size, long history, population, infrastructure, Newcastle are more mature and better than Sunderland.
Just in 2004, on the south bank of River Tyne, a musical education, performance and conferences centre built in Gateshead. The Sage Gateshead is one of the most popular conference venues in the UK. It has two main halls which have developed acoustics with world-class technical facilities. When the customers are sitting in the two huge multi-purpose rooms, the café, bars, brasserie restaurant and foyers with beautiful river scene are the perfect facilities for conference and events.
The Sage Gateshead has also been used for political conferences, hosting the Conservative Party's Spring Conference in 2008. There is a maximum capacity of 1,640 delegates in theatre style and there are 3,500 square meter s’ exhibition space can be made available. There are about thirty rooms for break-out and catering, licensed bar be equipped in-house. Three or fours stars hotel as Hilton was situated in ten minutes’ walk place. And there is an ample car parking. (Official website, 2010)
The capacity of delegates is bigger than any conference venues in Sunderland. So the Sage Gateshead is a strong competitor of Sunderland.
If Sunderland will build a conference centre, the disadvantages will be it may not always suitable for the growing number of smaller events. Although Sunderland has many hotels which can hold conference, there are also some disadvantages points existed. Because the hotels have all kinds of passengers, it may mix leisure and business guests. And it is different form the formal council house, It can appear too frivolous. Sometimes, in hotels’ meeting room, at most also have capacity hundreds of people, so it may be unsuitable for very large events.
One new conference centre may be built in the city, near the railway stations and sliding. This must be part of a regional development plan with provision for easy access from the international airport and city, junction to the main highway network and an integrated system of frequent and fast public transport designed to the large number of passenger likely to attend. Although Sunderland’s traffic has its own railway and very close to the international airport, it is not very convenient in sometimes. Such as the international airport is quite small and international airlines is quite little everyday, so the passenger rarely is little. And the direct railways to big cities are little, many lines must transfer the train is some large stations. it makes the passengers to waste a lot of time. If Sunderland will become an international large conference destination, these conditions is immature.
Although Sunderland was a former British port city, now it is only cargo transportation port. The empty Sunderland seemed to lack popularity. The most shop close before 5o’clock. The shopping mall in the downtown “Bridge” opening at 10 am and close at 5 pm. For some conference participants who like leisure, it is too early to close the door after the conferences. Not too many entertainment programs is also one of elements of Sunderland is unsuited to be a conference destination.
Because Sunderland is a port city near the coast, so its rainy and windy weather is relatively more than other cities. When you are a conference organizer, you would choose good weather days, but sometimes there are conditions can not be avoided. With Heavy rain and winds situation, people always reluctant to go out. And bad weather always affect people’s mod, it estimates that the participants will think of how go home after the meeting and have no concentrate on meeting.
Lack of experience is also one of disadvantages of Sunderland to be a conference destination. Sunderland always had no chance to undertake large-cake and international events. So it is obvious that it was lack of experience. Except international air show and NTA conference in Sunderland, academic events are usually not held at Sunderland.
If Sunderland wants to become an international conference destination, it must give some the supply of facilities for the market. It is clear to invest in the infrastructure for the meeting of different size. Now most visible of all of these developments are the gleaming new conference centers. But to these new developments must also be added the huge investment in refurbishment and renovations undertaken by cities with some older conference facilities. It will appear a key question: is there an over supply situation exist in an extent, with new construction, refurbishment and renovations to conference center.
Sunderland have many opening conference place, if there is large conference center which is more completed facilities appeared in the same city. So this kind of small business will have no competitiveness. Thus the government must not only put the huge money in the development investments, but also prepare dealing with close down of the other companies in the same industry.
There must be more competitions when the supply expanded. But the competitions not only exist between venues but also between destinations active in the meeting market. This situation is apparent at all levels, from the local to the international, but it is perhaps illustrated most dramatically at the international level, where one of the trends to result from the growth in competition form other continents is.
Sunderland has not the high reputation as London, Paris, Melbourne, Sydney and Amsterdam this worldwide international city. So the not high visibility may lead to the decline of competitiveness.
The 2012 Olympic Games will be held in UK, so Sunderland’s prominent position is to be expected. Together with Australia, the “Olympics effect” can attract large meetings and tourists come to Sunderland. Then Sunderland can be a significant share of arrivals for both leisure and business tourism in their region of the world.
Reference
Wikipedia(2010) Sunderland Tyne and Wear access at:
Martin Oppermann (1996) Convention cities- Image and changing fortunes THE JOURNAL OF TOURISM STUDIES access at:
Latemeeting.com (2010) Access at
Northumbria police (2010) Sunderland statics Access at:
The Sage Gateshead (2010) The Sage Gateshead: Conferences, weddings and events venue Access at:
NATIONAL TAXI ASSOCIATION (2010) NTA Conference 2010 Access at
