With over 75 Hospitality Assured- Meetings (HA-M) assured venues nationwide; the Meetings Industry Association (mia) benchmark is becoming the standard of choice…
With over 75 Hospitality Assured- Meetings (HA-M) assured venues nationwide; the Meetings Industry Association (mia) benchmark is becoming the standard of choice amongst venues and buyers alike. The assurance is increasingly being promoted by business tourism bodies around the country.
Liverpool and Merseyside is home to nine HA-M assured venues which is the highest geographical concentration of accredited venues in the UK. The Mersey Partnership (TMP) in Liverpool has been working closely with the Meetings Industry Association, Greater Merseyside Learning & Skills Council and Greater Merseyside Enterprises to encourage local conference businesses to achieve the standard.
The Mersey Partnership Conference Bureau is also working toward the standard and aims to become the first HA-M assured Conference Bureau in the country.
TMP is also helping accredited venues to raise their profile. HA-M venues are prominently highlighted in their conference portfolio and a wider programme of benefits for accredited venues will be introduced in the near future. Paul Mullins, Tourism Projects Manager at The Mersey Partnership, believes that HA-M is making a significant difference to the accredited venues as well as conference buyers.
Speaking at a recent mia Best Practice event in Liverpool, Paul said: “People choose to hold meetings where they know they will receive the best service and facilities. But HA-M is not just for the benefit of buyers. It enables venues to share ideas and problems, and to strive for higher standards. We hope to get all meetings venues in Liverpool and Merseyside accredited in this way”
“Having Hospitality Assured-Meetings status means that I get to meet with other quality driven, like minded venues and suppliers and exchange best practice, problems and solutions” commented Lacy Curtis-Ward, General Manager of HA-M accredited Conference Centre at Church House in London, who also spoke at the event, “It’s a network around the country to bounce ideas off. HA-M is not only a management tool that connects me into my organisation, but it gives me a network as well- invaluable for an independent venue.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
