Marketing Manchester

Marketing Manchester
Name	Marketing Manchester
Type	Destination marketing organisation
Founded	1980s
Location	Manchester, England
Region served	Greater Manchester

Marketing Manchester is a destination marketing and business development organisation based in Manchester that promotes the city-region to visitors, businesses, investors and conference organisers. It works across Greater Manchester, collaborating with public bodies, cultural institutions, transport providers and commercial partners to attract tourism, events and inward investment. The organisation engages with national and international networks to position Manchester among major European and global city destinations.

History

Marketing Manchester originated during efforts to rebrand Manchester following industrial restructuring in the late 20th century, aligning with regeneration programmes in Salford, Stockport, Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. Early activity intersected with initiatives led by the Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and bodies such as English Partnerships and Regional Development Agencies. In the 1990s and 2000s it adapted to shifts brought by landmark projects including the redevelopment of Salford Quays, the opening of MediaCityUK, the expansion of Manchester Piccadilly station, and major events like the Commonwealth Games bid discussions and cultural programmes in partnership with Manchester International Festival. Over successive decades Marketing Manchester navigated changes in the European Union market, the emergence of low-cost carriers at Manchester Airport, the growth of the Manchester Arena, and the transformation driven by digital platforms such as TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Airbnb.

Organisation and Governance

The organisation operates as a membership-based partnership, bringing together stakeholders from private sector companies including major hotel groups like Hilton Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group, and AccorHotels; transport operators such as Manchester Airport Group and Northern Trains; cultural institutions including Manchester Museum, The Lowry, Imperial War Museum North, Royal Exchange Theatre and Whitworth Art Gallery; and higher education institutions like the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Royal Northern College of Music. Governance structures involve boards drawn from leaders with experience at VisitBritain, UK Sport, Arts Council England, British Tourist Authority, and local authorities including Wigan Council and Trafford Council. Strategic alignment is maintained with regional policy bodies such as the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership and pan-UK networks including UKinbound and British Hospitality Association.

Marketing and Campaigns

Campaigns have targeted business events, leisure tourists, and international students, leveraging relationships with airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet, trade shows such as IMEX and World Travel Market, and media partners like BBC North and The Guardian. Promotional activity has tied into cultural moments connected to Oasis (band), The Smiths, Coronation Street, and sporting successes at Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium to amplify appeal. Digital marketing programmes have used platforms provided by Google, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and analytics from SAS and Adobe. Specific campaigns have framed Manchester alongside events like the Manchester International Festival, music festivals at Heaton Park, and football fixtures involving Manchester United F.C. and Manchester City F.C. to attract visitors during peak and shoulder seasons.

Services and Activities

Services offered include destination promotion for conferences through partnerships with venues such as Manchester Central Convention Complex, Etihad Stadium Conference Centre, and Old Trafford Conference Centre; sales support for hotel accommodation across chains including Premier Inn, Travelodge, and independent boutique operators; and visitor servicing in collaboration with VisitEngland networks. Activities encompass international trade missions to markets such as China, United States, Germany, France, Spain and United Arab Emirates; hosting buyer programmes with associations like the Meeting Professionals International; and research into visitor behaviour using methodologies from institutions such as Manchester Business School and Office for National Statistics. It also delivers campaigns to promote student recruitment with links to recruitment fairs at Hochschulen and student services at University of Salford.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding streams blend membership subscriptions from firms in sectors like hospitality, transport, and retail with grants and partnership contributions from regional authorities including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and private sponsorship from corporations such as Arup, BuroHappold Engineering, Siemens, Amazon and major banks active in Manchester like Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group. Strategic partnerships include collaborations with cultural anchors Manchester Art Gallery, HOME (Manchester), and Science and Industry Museum, education partners such as Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, and international promotion through bodies like British Council and UK Trade & Investment. Project-specific funding has come via programmes associated with European Regional Development Fund and national tourism initiatives supported by VisitBritain.

Impact and Economic Contribution

Marketing Manchester measures impact through indicators including visitor numbers tracked by VisitBritain methodologies, hotel occupancy reported to industry analysts like STR (company), and conference bids won at venues including Manchester Central. The city-region’s tourism and events sector supports employment across hospitality, retail and cultural institutions such as Imperial War Museum North and Royal Exchange Theatre, while boosting revenues for transport providers like Manchester Metrolink and National Rail. Its activity contributes to base indicators used by Office for National Statistics regional accounts and informs investment decisions by corporates including Siemens Mobility and property developers like Muse (company). Evaluation reports have cited links between destination marketing and regeneration outcomes in areas such as Salford Quays, the knowledge cluster around the University of Manchester, and the media cluster at MediaCityUK, with multiplier effects felt across the North West of England.

Category:Organisations based in Manchester