Conference Centres Of Excellence - the marketing consortium of 40 of the UK's leading dedicated conference venues - has launched a unique programme of visits, through which conference agents will be able to sample the distinctive facilities of groups of member venues in specific parts of the country.
The CCE 'Showcase' initiative is a programme of 11 visits between March and December of this year. It sees CCE venues in different areas - all of them independent providers with very individual styles and heritages - working together to develop focused programmes of one, two or three days.
The programme has been organised by Celia Lawson Pegg, who manages CCE's dedicated service for conference agents. "We want to illustrate the options CCE can provide in specific areas, and also - where agents can attend a number of our events -- the unparalleled breadth of CCE's offering across the country," explained Celia: "This is our biggest ever effort to communicate not only that dedicated venues are the best option for organisers, but that we can offer a spectacular variety of distinctive venues all with the very highest standards of excellence."
Each set of dates is themed. For example, "Three Herts in One" brings together Hertfordshire venues Theobalds Park, Hitchin Priory and The Node, while "Destination London" incorporates capital-based CCE members Devonport House, The Hatton and the Royal College of Physicians.
"Go West" provides a detailed facility inspection of Templeton College, Henley Management College, Bailbrook House, Lydiard House and Northcote House, while "The Heart of Excellence" includes Ashorne Hill, Warwick Conferences, Woodland Grange, Woodside, University of Aston, and the Cotswold Conference Centre. A further seven events will cover CCE venues in Surrey/Sussex, East Anglia, Scotland, West Yorkshire, the Home Counties, the East Midlands and the Shire counties.
Venues are only accepted into CCE membership after passing the conference industry's most stringent tests on facilities and customer service. On average, only one application in four is successful.
For more information contact:
Michael Kennedy at MGK Communications 0121 605 4048 or michaelkennedy@talk21.com
Gill Smillie at Conference Centres of Excellence 0845 230 1414 or info@cceonline.co.uk