Strong partnerships are the key to delivering a flourishing events and festivals portfolio, according to Brendan McClements, Chief Executive of Australia’s Victorian Major Events Company and Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events. 

The driving forces of two of the world’s most successful event destinations spoke to Host City at the National Events Conference on 3 December 2015 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The conference focused on “Scotland the Perfect Stage”, the recently refreshed National Events Strategy for 2015-2025.

“You can’t do this by yourself, you need people to help. When I was reading through ‘The Perfect Stage’ strategy it was the first time I’d seen another nation highlight so clearly that we need this as a fundamental component of building success and how to use it to our advantage,” Brendan McClements, Chief Executive of Australia’s Victorian Major Events Company told Host City during the conference.

“Victoria has learned from Scotland’s approach. That’s something that’s helped drive success in Victoria.” 

After an unprecedented year for major events in Scotland in 2014, which included the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games, the nation is now looking forward to hosting the 2018 European Sports Championships, 2019 Solheim Cup and UEFA EURO 2020. 

McClements has been responsible for attracting some of the world’s most prestigious events properties to the state of Victoria, including the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and the incredibly popular artistic and cultural celebration, White Night Melbourne.

In his keynote speech at the conference, McClements emphasised Scotland’s pre-eminent position in encouraging and facilitating the public, private and third sectors to work in unison in the delivery of its events and festivals portfolio, valued at £3.5bn per year to the Scottish economy.

“Major international events, and indeed small-scale events that support local communities, all of which have a number of stakeholders, can only achieve successful outcomes for all parties if everyone buys into the same plan. Sustainable events cannot survive on a command and control model,” he said.

“Events are complicated; you need to build a coalition of people who want to work with you,” he told Host City. “You are talking about governments, councils, local authorities, local services, industry, venues, airports, transport authorities, rights holders and so on,” 

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, explained how partnership working drove one of Scotland’s most recent successful bids, for the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles.

“We had 23 partners as part of our Solheim Cup bid including local bodies such as Creative Scotland and the Edinburgh International Festival. Bringing these bodies together you really see the value of working together; it’s broken down the silo mentality,” he told Host City.

“It’s brokered by people trusting each other, but ultimately you’ve got to put a system in place that maintains the momentum. It’s really an organic process that needs to become systemic; it needs to maintain its integrity when people leave.”

The Scotland’s First Minister and Victoria’s Premier established a Memorandum of Understanding during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in relation to securing major events. 

“We share a lot of things in confidence. They are not a competitor, as they are on the other side of the world, but it’s good to share intelligence about how you work with rights holders and which new cultural products to launch,” Bush told Host City.

Cultural events is a key area where Scotland has inspired Victoria. “The Edinburgh International Festival is outstanding example of what can be achieved in the cultural space. Any city in the world would look at this and think, how can we achieve this,” said McClements.

“It’s certainly informed our thinking of what’s possible. We have an event called White Night that’s drawn on models from all over the world. The Edinburgh experience helped inform what we wanted to do with that event. Edinburgh is the gold standard.”

This strategic, coordinated approach is not exclusive to Scotland and Victoria. Bush cites Copenhagen as a “fantastic example”, and also points to Auckland, London and “pockets in North America”.

Strong international relations can in some cases lead to shared hosting rights. Australia co-hosted the 2015 Cricket World Cup with New Zealand. 

“Having multiple hosts is a natural outcome. New Zealand are our siblings, so there is a high level of cooperation. 

“Hosting the 2015 Cricket World Cup with New Zealand was no more complicated than any other major event that takes place in two locations. The organising committees made sure there was investment in communications.

“The plan was well coordinated – this was delivered seamlessly, all the way through the public and private sectors. The government piece of the puzzle was well sorted out. Time spent getting that right really paid off for Victoria.”

Victoria hosted a disproportionately large number of big games during the Cricket World Cup, including the opening as well as the final match. 350,000 people attended World Cup matches in Victoria in total, 153,000 of whom were from outside the state and 75,000 from outside the country, resulting in AU$300m of spending in the state.

In 2015 Melbourne also hosted Rugby League State of Origin series, one of Australia’s biggest sporting events. 92,000 people attended, 40,000 of whom were from outside Victoria. 

“It’s been an extraordinary fiscal year for Victoria, where you can see and taste the benefits that major events can bring. We’ve set a new benchmark for what major events are capable of,” said McClements.

The National Events Conference was opened by Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Europe, Culture and External Affairs and Dr Mike Cantlay OBE, Chairman of VisitScotland. Cantlay emphasised the need for continued investments in infrastructure, digital connectivity and air connectivity for Scotland to continue securing and delivering the next generation of events. 

The conference also focussed on operating outstanding smaller events, delivering safer events and addressing the opportunities provided to the sector by Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design. Speakers and delegates also discussed potential applications for 3D 360° video displays, gathering and interpreting real-time event insights and the TEDx phenomenon.

The conference followed the hugely successful Host City 2015 in November, which saw global cities, rights holders and experts converge in Glasgow.

I listened on recently as a member of the Scottish parliament described the transformation effect sport has had on his city, Glasgow, over the course of his relatively short adulthood. While, as a child, being subjected to pervasive messaging which labelled Scotland’s largest city ‘the sick man of Europe’, he now takes particular delight in the continued regeneration on our west coast. 

This renaissance owes much to the foresight and subsequent effort of those who have successfully secured events like the 2014 Commonwealth Games, FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and 2018 European Championships for the city, amongst many others. 

Accordingly, the catalyst for this revolution of sorts has been sport. A great love of sport, has, in the words of this MSP, driven and irreversibly altered how his constituents experience the city in which they reside: be it in the evolving cityscape, the upgraded infrastructure or prevalent belief among citizens that Glasgow is, once again, a powerhouse. No longer in an industrial sense, of course, but as the eighth greatest sporting city on earth. 

As a slight aside, I would argue that these events have altered the consciousness of the Scottish nation as a whole, not only in a sporting sense. Scotland now recognises that its sons and daughters are capable of shining on the world stage and that our investment in sport has engendered invaluable social impacts, as well as numerous medals and new records. 

Aside from partisan praise for Glasgow and Scotland, this anecdote serves a very simple purpose in this wider narrative; it demonstrates the potential created by events governed well. 

And as all of those involved in the process of attempting to secure events for their respective municipalities will know, good governance starts from the initiation of the bidding process.  

Now, I cite Glasgow as a recent example in which, through rigorous care and procedural best practice, the city has reaped myriad benefits which were successfully sown many years previously. There are many others, however, that do not realise such prosperous outcomes, the reasons for which are both too numerous and complex to discuss herein. The solution for the unpredictable nature of results in an industry where, at least on the pitch/track/court, results are the only thing of any consequence, is, fortunately, less obscure. It is the more transparent governance around the process of event bidding. 

Technical evaluations are, in principle, an excellent means towards this end. However, controversy arises when they inform the choice of candidates, rather than underpin their decisions. Of course, factors not taken in to account in the process of a technical evaluation have to be considered, not least political climate. But to those unacquainted with event bidding as it presently stands, the fact that the, apparently, most accomplished bid often loses out in the final reveal, bears further scrutiny. And probably rightly so. 

It begs the question over whether there is scope for a standardised stable of tools to be provided to federations and governing bodies to help inform their decisions. Objective criteria, consistently adhered to across all sports and all major events, would help better gauge the competency of competing bids and help to eradicate votes potentially cast on instinctive or misguided judgement. 

In support of this line of argument, it has even been reasoned that completed technical evaluations should be published to encourage stricter adherence to their recommendations, or at least to elicit an explanation as to why any departure from the recommendations of a technical evaluation is selected as the chosen course. 

Leaving aside any insinuations of wrongdoing, more must also be done to encourage economic transparency in order to eradicate the ramifications experienced by host cities who fail to predict difficulties some way down the line. 

At present, a situation often arises where, in an effort to impress, candidates overpromise only to, ultimately, under-deliver. To give one example, the Olympic Games are seemingly beset by a perennial sprint finish, whereby, only aware of shortcomings all-too-late, infrastructure projects are rushed or pared-back by the host city. At best, this erodes confidence in the potentially profound social impacts mega-events should guarantee; at worst, it risks dereliction of duty and gives rise to social unrest.

For those familiar with game theory, the competitive nature of bidding must be of the greatest interest. Lacking definitive criteria to meet, cities and states must simply seek to outshine their nearest competitors. Or, more accurately, seek to outshine what capacity they imagine their nearest competitor may have. The result of this ‘blind bidding’ is a less than ideal outcome for all involved, including the winner. 

With more strongly defined and widely publicised benchmarks upon which bids are judged, one can claim with some confidence that capability and credibility, rather cash, will become the foundations upon which successful bids are constructed. The result? Greater likelihood of well-placed investment, improved legacy benefits and less empty stadia as the circus leaves town. 

While it is not for me to pass judgement on the current health of global sporting governance, I am more than willing to indicate the current circumstances, while regrettable, present an invaluable opportunity. 

In the course of numerous allegations, withdrawal of support and widespread condemnation in recent months, we have learned in no uncertain terms that the forces behind the extraordinary commercial success of sport will no longer endure dubiety. Due to the extent of its own success, all of sport, particularly its governance, is being called to account, and it must reform. 

Emboldened by the voice offered by social media and the internet age, the public can no longer be categorised as homogenous factions of brand advocates. Today, the consumer more fluidly elects those it wishes to trust, and brands with a sponsors’ stake in sport will no longer tolerate its flaws. 

That being said, it should not be forgotten that, by the same token, the consumer of today is now open to more routes of engagement than ever before thanks to those same technologies. As such, the potential is more people, more enthused by a greater diversity of sporting pursuits. For the general health of the sector, that can only be an exciting prospect. But it can only be realised through change. That change being excellent governance from the ground-up. 

And, if we agree with the assertion above that good governance is established from the outset of the bidding process, what better area for us to concentrate those initial efforts towards reform. 

This opinion piece was written by Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events and Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland

Glasgow’s Emirates Arena is to host the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group semifinal between Great Britain and Australia on 18 – 20 September, the Lawn Tennis Association announced on Tuesday. 

“We are delighted that Glasgow has been selected to host the Aegon GB Davis Cup Team once again for the semi-final against Australia in September,” said Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events. 

“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and we are certain that fans from all across the country will turn out in force to show their support at the Emirates Arena.”

Andy Murray, who won both of his singles matches against USA at the Emirates Arena in March, said “It’s exciting for the team to be going back to Glasgow. It’s always special to play in front of a home crowd and we are fortunate to have played our last three ties at home.

“We had a unique atmosphere in Glasgow, the crowd was unbelievable.  It’s going to be a huge week for our team and we’ll be doing everything we can to get GB through to the final."

The indoor arena in Glasgow’s East End was built to host badminton events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and now hosts basketball on a regular basis. It will have its capacity extended to 8,200 and a hard court laid down for the Davis Cup event.

The Great Britain vs. Australia semi-final coincides with the meeting between Belgium and Argentina at Forest National in Belgium. 

The winner of the semi-final in Glasgow will either travel to Belgium or welcome Argentina for the final in November.

2014 was a momentous year for Scotland and major events were at the heart of the excitement. The great success of the “best ever” Commonwealth Games in 2014 was followed by an acclaimed Ryder Cup.

“We’ve been putting Scotland forward as the perfect stage for events for a number of years,” Paul Bush OBE, chief operating officer of EventScotland told HOST CITY magazine. “What came out of last year is that it was a step change for us.”

The successes of 2014 have provided a platform for future hosting successes, building on proven strengths that EventScotland refers to as the “four Cs”: capacity, capability, credibility and confidence.

“Our capacity, in terms of number of volunteers, transport, infrastructure and accommodation, is now recognised around the world,” says Bush. “As for capability, all the events were delivered as the best ever or recognised some of the best.

“Credibility is about reputation; the experience of people coming to our events was high. And the feedback we had from the local population was extremely positive – they didn’t see the events as an impediment; they saw them as something to be proud of. 

“And that’s given us the confidence to look bigger and better in the future. The international federations now have great confidence in bringing their events back to Scotland this year.”

Glasgow is hosting the IPC Swimming World Championships and the World Gymnastics Championships in 2015. 

Outside the cities, Scotland is hosting seven golf tournaments back to back this year. The Open Championships takes place in St. Andrews this year while the Women’s British Open takes place in Turnberry in Ayrshire.

The World Orienteering Championships, which has record number of entries already this year, takes place in Speyside, the countryside around Aberdeenshire.

And the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is taking place in Fort William again in what has become an annual Scottish fixture. 

“We’re really cognisant of the fact that we’ve got to spread the benefit as much as we can across the country,” says Bush.

“That’s not always possible because the facilities and the infrastructure are often the driver, but using our natural landscape is really important to us. 

The European Eventing Championships, the final qualifying event for Rio 2016, is in the tiny village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire. “The infrastructure that will be needed to put up around that will be huge, and that will really showcase the landscape of that area.”

The 2014 Ryder Cup was hosted on a greenfield site at Gleneagles. Despite the influx of 50,000 people a day, there were no problems in getting people to and from the event – thanks to a transport infrastructure group set up by the Scottish government to look after major events. Initially set up for the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup, this group has since maintained its position within Transport Scotland to ensure the smooth operation of all major events. 

Beyond sport

Major cultural events are also an invaluable part of Scotland’s hosting portfolio. Glasgow was the European City of Culture in 1990, hosted the MOBOs in 2009, 2011 and 2013, the MTV Awards in 2014 and is hosting the Turner Prize in 2015. 

“Glasgow is recognised as one of the cultural gems of Europe; it has a huge history and heritage within contemporary arts,” says Bush, pointing out that three of the last five Turner Prize winners were educated at the Glasgow School of Art. 

“The MTV Awards got to a totally different demographic in terms of young people. MTV communicates through social media –their ticket sales for Glasgow were activated through Facebook, they don’t rely on traditional routes at all.”

Scotland nurtures its own cultural events that are incredibly valuable to the economy. The Edinburgh Festivals bring in around £262m each year, while Hogmanay alone brings in over £30m each year. 

“We’ve got some great gems in the cultural portfolio that we want to sustain and grow,” says Bush.

Business events are also an increasingly important feature of Scotland’s event strategy. “Meetings, corporate events, incentives, associations – these have now become part of our portfolio and we are looking to see how the synergies work between these different types of events,” says Bush.

Mass participation is another area where Scotland is keen to grow and diversify. Bush cites the London Prudential Ride and Melbourne’s Ride the Night, which attracted a quarter of a million people into the city centre between dusk and dawn, as examples. 

“We are looking at pressing different buttons, accepting the fact that we are not going to get the Ryder Cup or the Commonwealth Games every year, or even every lifetime. “The big thing for us is to ensure that people who come to events become repeat visitors in the future. 

“Last year, most people’s perceptions of Glasgow were changed and they realised what a great city it was to come to. A lot of cities have stigmas attached to them. But people thought this is a great city, it’s a really fun place to come to and the people are really welcoming.”

How to become a world class host

So, how can other cities and countries around the world follow this example build themselves into world-leading event destinations?

“The most important thing is you’ve got to have a very clear strategy and you’ve got to stick to that. It’s quite easy to buy events, as certain places in the world have successfully achieved. But you’ve got to work out your USPs, your strategy and your vision.

“You’ve got to invest in good people and you’ve got to give those people the time, the ability and the confidence. In Scotland we started this in 2001 – that’s 14 years ago. “But probably the most important thing in terms of long term success is your ability to deliver and the reputation that comes from that.” 

International conventions for the event hosting industry are precious few, but make the most of these, says Bush. “They are really important because they provide that ideal opportunity to get everybody in one place in the world to rekindle those relationships.”

This interview was first published in the Winter 2014/15 Issue of HOST CITY magazine. Since then, Glasgow has been awarded the hosting rights to the new 2018 European Sports Championship.

Glasgow Life, the charity that leads culture and sport in Glasgow, has announced the appointment of Kay Morrison as its new Chief Executive.

An accomplished leader, Kay brings a track record of strategic vision, partnership development and more than 20 years’ experience working across Scotland’s culture and leisure sector.

Kay joins Glasgow Life from her role as Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, where she has led the successful transformation of the organisation over the past three years.

Previously, she was Chief Executive of Falkirk Foundation, the official charity partner of Falkirk Football Club, working to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities through physical activity and education programmes.

She will take up her new post on Monday 7 July 2025, replacing Susan Deighan who helped create Glasgow Life in 2007 and is retiring after more than 30 years of shaping the delivery of culture, physical activity, tourism, and events in Glasgow on behalf of Glasgow City Council.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and reducing inequalities, Kay is known for her commitment to enhancing community wellbeing through the power of culture and sport as well as her contribution to developing national policy and direction for the sector.

Her appointment marks a new chapter for Glasgow Life, as the charity looks to an ambitious future and to helping more people lead richer, healthier, and happier lives through the delivery of world-class cultural, physical activity, and learning programmes and experiences.

Speaking about her appointment, Kay said: “It’s a privilege to be joining Glasgow Life at such a pivotal moment. As one of Scotland’s most important charities, Glasgow Life offers rich sources of hope, meaning and social connection to the people of Glasgow and visitors to the city.

“I’m looking forward to working with my talented colleagues and partners to deliver a fair and inclusive future for local communities, and ensuring our vision remains integral to the city’s social and economic wellbeing as well as building on Glasgow’s impressive global profile.”

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Kay is an inspiring leader with a deep understanding of the vital role our charity plays across Glasgow’s communities, and her experience, knowledge and networks make her the ideal person to lead Glasgow Life as we look to a positive and ambitious future.

“On behalf of Glasgow Life’s Board, I congratulate Kay on her appointment and look forward to working with her to ensure our charity remains a force for good at the heart of a thriving, inclusive, accessible, and resilient Glasgow.”

Susanne Millar, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Council, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Kay into the role of Chief Executive at Glasgow Life and as a valued member of Glasgow City Council’s leadership team. Kay brings a wealth of experience and a clear commitment to Glasgow. Susan Deighan has made an incredible contribution to Glasgow Life and to our city, and I know Kay is ready to build on that success.

“I look forward to working with Kay, in close collaboration with our city partners, as we continue to deliver on the things that matter most to the people of Glasgow. I also want to thank Susan for her exceptional dedication and wish her a long and happy retirement.”

[Source: Extreme E] Following a successful debut event in Scotland last season, Extreme E today announces its return to Dumfries and Galloway for Rounds 3 and 4 of 2024. 
The championship’s latest visit to the popular Scottish location kickstarts the European leg of Season 4, which will take place on 13-14 July.
The announcement of the race return was made today, Thursday 6 June, in the shadow of the Scottish Parliament, by Ali Russell, Managing Director of Extreme E, and Kate Forbes MSP, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for the Economy.
Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister, said: “I am delighted that Extreme E will be returning to Scotland this summer. Last year’s Hydro X Prix brought both social and economic benefits to our communities and regional and national economies, while providing a new and exciting platform to showcase the country’s offer to a global audience.
“Extreme E shares our ambition for sustainability, renewable energy, gender equality and local conservation and I am confident this this year’s event will once again demonstrate that Scotland can provide the perfect stage for major, innovative international events like the X Prix.”
In 2023, the former Glenmuckloch opencast coal mine site, on Queensberry Estate, played host to two exciting races in Scotland, won by Sir Lewis Hamilton’s X44 Vida Carbon Racing outfit and E.ON Veloce Racing, respectively. 
The restored former coal mine, set to undergo the next phase of its major transformation into a Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) plant and wind farm, is a project which is being developed by Foresight Group's Energy Transition Fund (FEIP). The setting provides a poignant backdrop for the sport, which uses its platform to raise awareness of climate change and global solutions. Exact details of the 2024 course layout will be confirmed ahead of the upcoming Hydro X Prix.
The Hydro X Prix in Scotland represents an exciting return home for Extreme E, creating the opportunity to highlight climate issues and solutions that are not just global, but also right on our doorstep.
Scotland's landscape includes rugged mountains, rolling hills, deep valleys, and stunning coastline. The country is home to numerous lochs, rivers, and forests, including the famous Caledonian Forest, which is one of the few remaining ancient woodlands in Europe. Scotland also has a rich and varied wildlife population, with species such as red deer, golden eagles, otters, and seals found across the country.
However, Scotland's environment is not without its challenges, including issues related to climate change, land use, and biodiversity loss, which are being addressed through a range of conservation efforts and sustainable development initiatives.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “Heading back to the UK and Scotland for the next event of the 2024 Extreme E season is an exciting prospect for our championship.
“It was a hugely successful event last year and we cannot wait to return to such a dramatic location for our action-packed racing series, but also one which has sustainability values at its core. Scotland is a strong voice in the adoption of a clean energy future and renewable energy sources, and our Hydro X Prix marks a great opportunity to highlight these important issues that are happening so close to home. 
“We are excited to race once again and get the second half of our championship underway.”
As part of the championship’s commitments to raising awareness of the climate crisis, Extreme E’s legacy initiatives will continue at the Hydro X Prix.
From the impactful re-planting of over a thousand trees, to using innovative technologies being implemented by Official Technology Partner Vodafone Business to monitor water quality and temperatures, Extreme E will continue to focus on a long-term transformation of the River Nith area that will protect the salmon stocks so important to local industries.
Anna Fergusson, Estate Director at Queensberry Estate, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Extreme E team back to Queensberry Estate for races in their 2024 season. The news of their return is exciting for Buccleuch and the wider Dumfries and Galloway area. The 2023 races at Glenmuckloch were thrilling and Extreme E’s engagement with local young people and their environmental project on the River Nith have left a lasting legacy. For this year’s Hydro X Prix, Buccleuch will work with the Extreme E team to reach more of the community and help them leave their positive mark on the local area.

To mark World Environment Day (5 June), the organisers of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships have today published the event’s Sustainability Report, bringing together the various activities and impacts achieved by the inaugural event which took place in Glasgow and across Scotland from 3-13 August.

[Source: EventScotland] As a purpose-led event, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships were committed to embedding sustainability into the organisation, collaborating with partners and supporting the value chain to drive progress to create a greener and more sustainable future for both cycling events as well as for Scotland.

The report builds on the independent Ernst & Young socio-economic impact evaluation report published on 7 February 2024.

Sustainability was a core objective in delivering an innovative, world-class event that would provide a model for the future. The Championship’s Sustainability Framework and its ten high-level commitments were put in place, outlining core values and guiding principles mapped against the pillars of ‘People, Place and Planet’ in alignment with and to drive progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships also signed the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Framework and was one of the founding signatories of the UCI’s Climate Action Charter, further cementing its ambitions to reduce cycling’s environmental impacts.

As part of its commitment to sustainability, the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds undertook a voluntary Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) assessment mapped against the UN SDGs and using the UCI’s new Sustainability Impact Tracker. The report showed the Championships contributed to 14 out of 17 UN SDGs, demonstrating the wide range of sustainable activities undertaken, highlighting the commitment to a sustainable approach to event delivery. 

The Championships were also the first event to use the UCI’s Sustainability Impact Tracker to measure its carbon emissions, with the report showing the total carbon footprint of the event calculated as 61.1ktCO2e. Most of these emissions fall within Scope 3 “Other indirect emissions” with the biggest contributing factors being in the ‘travel’ category. This benchmark data will benefit future combined UCI Cycling World Championships and other major sporting events in Scotland and the UK.

Other achievements highlighted in the report include:

• 86% of stakeholders felt the Championships were delivered in an environmentally responsible way.
• Appointment of EDP (Event Delivery Partners) Sustainability Champions to implement and drive sustainability measures within each individual event.
• Development of a ‘Good Food Charter’ and the establishment of the Event Delivery Partners Sustainability Champions network, with learning and best practice captured to provide a blueprint for future events.
• the creation of a Sustainable Procurement Code, which provided a link across the Championship’s Hub and Spoke delivery model, raising awareness of the minimum standards expected to support sustainability, EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) and low carbon emissions ambitions.

The Championships’ commitment to sustainability also included social responsibility, with the report highlighted:

• 97% of people who attended the event felt it was inclusive.
• 93% of spectators with a disability found the event to be accessible.
• Over 90% of attendance at events were non-ticketed, facilitating greater access to watch and take part.

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships’ ambition to drive awareness and highlight the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion have been recognised, winning the Diversity in Sport Award and Diversity by Design Award at the Herald & Gen Analytics Diversity Awards and the Access All Areas Diversity and Inclusion Awards.  

The Sustainability Report, along with other reports produced by the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds Championships, will provide a baseline and a blueprint for future events. Read the full report.

David Lappartient, UCI President, said: “Tackling climate change is one of the priorities of the UCI’s Agenda 2030, with one of our aims being to make our UCI World Championships carbon neutral or negative. To do this, we need a base to work from, and I am delighted that we have a solid Sustainability Report from the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. The local organisers of last year’s inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships made great headway when it comes to sustainability and social responsibility, and I look forward to this momentum being continued at future UCI events.”

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships were a truly memorable event and an excellent platform to showcase Scotland’s commitment to building a sustainable future.

"This report shows that large international sporting events can successfully embed environmental and social responsibility as a core principle, benefitting the wider community as well as athletes and fans.

“It's further evidence that the powerful legacy of the Championships extends beyond simply winning medals – in addition to boosting Scotland's economy and inspiring healthier lifestyles, they have also set the standard for innovative, world-class events."

Paul Bush OBE, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Chairman, said: “The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships aimed to champion sustainability in the world of sport, and we are proud of the effort we have made to drive meaningful change.

“The Sustainability Report provides useful insight, learnings and recommendations that will help deliver sustainable events and encourage innovation in the future.

“Collaboration and partnership working were vital to achieving our sustainability objectives and I thank everyone, from our funding partners, event delivery partners and local authority hosts to the athletes and spectators, for all their help in delivering on our ambitions.”

The inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships brought together 13 individual UCI Cycling World Championships, welcoming more than 7,000 elite and amateur cyclists from 131 countries, with around 1 million spectators attending over the 11 days of the event.

The Championships delivered significant social, economic and environmental benefits for Glasgow, Scotland and the UK, including £344m of incremental spend resulting in £205m Gross Value Added (GVA) economic impact for Scotland, and generated £220m Total Visitor Spend in Scotland. 

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships had a TV audience of 537 million. It was broadcast in 130 countries, totalling around 14,000 hours of programming, and around 200 million hours were watched live on television globally over 11 days.

[Source: EventScotland] Scotland has today (28 May) launched its refreshed national events strategy designed to provide strategic focus for all involved in the planning, securing and delivery of events across Scotland.

Scotland the Perfect Stage 2024-2035 aims to build on the event industry’s many achievements to date, as well as respond to the ongoing challenges faced by the sector.  It also focuses on a range of national priority outcomes and critical success factors for the sector as it looks towards the next ten years.

An extensive consultation was undertaken across 2023 to shape the strategy. This involved an online consultation, a programme of industry engagement workshops delivered in partnership with Local Authorities across the country and a series of online webinars with additional stakeholder groups. More than 300 organisations and individuals engaged and their responses informed the strategy’s key themes and priorities.  

Building on this approach, and in order to ensure a strong, shared ambition, the development and approval was a collaborative effort involving Scottish Government, VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, Scotland’s Event Industry Advisory Group (EIAG), Local Authorities, COSLA and Trade Union representatives.

At the strategy’s core is the need to sustain and develop a dynamic, resilient, and responsible events sector that is recognised as a global leader and valued for its contribution to Scotland’s wellbeing economy. 

Delivery of the strategy’s vision is centred on three critical interconnecting focus areas: Developing Events, Developing the Industry and Developing Scotland.  

A range of aligned priority themes are also identified and form a key strategic focus. These include:

• Inclusive & Responsible Events

• Investment and Support

• Measuring, Monitoring and Reporting Impact

• Portfolio Approach enabling a variety of events and a balanced programme

• Attracting, Retaining and Developing a diverse talent pool

• Quality Planning and Delivery

• Infrastructure and Services

• Reputation and Profile

• Visitor Economy

A detailed action plan will be created, building on the set of suggested ‘next steps’ for each priority theme. The Event Industry Advisory Group (EIAG), together with partners, will help develop and oversee this action plan.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: "The launch of our refreshed national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage 2024-2035 marks a significant milestone for Scotland's events sector.

“This strategy is a testament to our collaborative efforts and shared ambition, designed to build on our achievements and address the challenges ahead.

“With a focus on inclusive and responsible events, investment and support, and a dynamic portfolio approach, we’re committed to developing a sustainable events industry that contributes to Scotland's economy. The new strategy will ensure Scotland remains a global leader in the events industry."

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland said: “Since the development of the first national strategic approach to events in 2008, which was updated in 2015, Scotland has achieved an enviable global reputation as a major events powerhouse, hosting a scale and breadth of major international sporting championships, cultural festivals and much-loved regional events.”

“Events are ideally placed to continue to deliver tangible results against a range of national priorities. They serve as catalysts for innovation, bring people together, and span a range of socio-economic impacts that propel society forward. 

“The impact of this consistent and sustained focus on developing Scotland’s events industry over the last twenty years has been transformative. The refreshed strategy not only emphasises the hugely valuable importance of the sector, but it sets out a shared ambition for the next decade which is critical for ensuring Scotland maintains its world-leading events destination status.”

Peter Duthie, Chair of Scotland’s Event Industry Advisory Group (EIAG) said: “Scotland’s events industry is an established global leader, delivering world-class events and experiences that contribute vital social, economic and cultural value for Scotland.

“The refreshed strategy provides the focus necessary to retain our global status as we look to the future.  It will require us all to work collaboratively, innovatively and responsibly with confidence, determination and purpose, whilst also recognising the part we each play in the continued success of our sector. It also emphasises the need for continued support and investment to drive continued growth.

“On behalf of the Advisory Group, I welcome this strategy as we continue to move forward producing an enviable portfolio of business, sporting, and cultural events.”

The annual Host City Conference & Exhibition, the largest international meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, will take place at the Scottish Event Campus, Glasgow on 3-4 December, and include presentation of the inaugural Host City Awards, celebrating the best event hosting achievements, at an evening reception on 3 December.

The move to a larger capacity venue and launch of the Host City Awards reflects the event’s growth, following a decade of increasingly successful events.

Host City 2024 will bring together hundreds of major event owners, organisers and hosts from all over the world for two days of insightful discussion and debate across plenary sessions, presentations and keynote addresses. The 11th Host City will also feature a hosted buyer programme for the growing community of international event owners and organising committees.

Participants in Host City include International Federation leaders and IOC Members alongside the owners and organisers of major congresses and entertainment events.

Host City 2024 takes place with the support of Global Presenting Partners and Hosts: Glasgow Life, EventScotland and the Scottish Event Campus.

Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life said: “Glasgow has a reputation for world-class cultural, sports and business occasions so we’ll look forward to welcoming delegates to the city once again for the Host City Conference and Exhibition in December. 

“The breadth of expertise and wealth of knowledge that is shared at Host City is invaluable for continuing to push the boundaries of successful event organisation.

“We look forward to adding our own distinctive host voice to the proceedings, sharing our experience of delivering engaging and diverse events like the World Athletics Indoor Championships held here in March, and hearing how others create a genuine legacy for local communities.”

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland, said: “EventScotland is delighted to continue its partnership with Host City having been a long-standing supporter since its inception. Fostering the spirit of collaboration and innovation, the conference continues to provide a dynamic environment for networking, knowledge sharing, and also celebration with the introduction of this year’s inaugural Host City Awards.

“The opportunity to attract and bring together key global partners and stakeholders to discuss a range of immediate and emerging trends within our sector is incredibly valuable. We are delighted to see the event’s ambition to grow in scope and scale, and look forward to welcoming both new and returning speakers and delegates from across the sport, culture and business events landscape to Glasgow, and indeed Scotland later this year.”   

Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales, Scottish Event Campus said: “We are delighted to support Host City.  This event plays an important role in positioning Glasgow and Scotland as the natural location for major events and conferences, are we are delighted to be providing a platform for growth for the event.”

Host City 2024 is also supported by Glasgow Convention Bureau.

The full agenda for Host City 2024 and details for the inaugural Host City Awards will be announced soon.  

For more information visit www.hostcity.com or email ben.avison@hostcity.com

Commercial Opportunities: adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk

[Source: EventScotland] Scotland’s National Events Conference makes a timely return on Tuesday 26 March 2024. Taking place at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, tickets for the flagship industry conference for Scotland’s events sector are now on sale. 

This is the first time the conference has taken place in four years and will bring together more than 200 of the country’s leading event producers, suppliers, policy makers, and funders from across culture, sport and business events to connect, learn and exchange insights in person. 

Under the theme of ‘Resetting the Perfect Stage for Events’, an essential focus of the conference will be updating attendees on the priorities that have emerged from the sector-wide consultation work undertaken to update the national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage. The refreshed strategy will provide direction for the industry to the end of 2035 and the conference will share next steps and help to inform development of the strategy’s implementation plan. 

The conference will feature keynote addresses and breakout sessions covering themes including Scotland’s future ambition and global status, responsible events, community engagement, Net Zero events, event impacts and workforce development. There will also be plenty of opportunities for networking with event colleagues and exhibitors. Full details of the conference programme, including speakers, will be announced across the coming weeks.  

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “It’s great to have Scotland’s National Events Conference back after four years and a period of unprecedented change.   

“The environment for events is constantly evolving, driven by changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, global challenges, regulation and policy development, societal and environmental change. The conference presents a crucial opportunity for Scotland’s vibrant event sector to come together to address and share knowledge on many of the key themes, challenges, and opportunities identified from the last few years and through the national strategy consultation. It will be a day not to be missed.”  

Delivered by VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the National Events Conference last took place in September 2019 at the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel alongside the 2019 Solheim Cup, the most highly coveted trophy in women’s professional golf team competition. Delegate feedback from the conference was overwhelmingly positive, with 97% of respondents stating they would attend a future National Events Conference.

Tickets for the conference are now available for £80 + VAT. To find out more about the National Events Conference 2024 and to purchase a ticket, visit www.nationaleventsconference.com.