Convention Edinburgh

What Convention Edinburgh does

Convention Edinburgh is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) and convention bureau for Edinburgh, Scotland, owned and operated by Edinburgh City Council. It runs the Meeting Edinburgh platform (meetingedinburgh.com), a free B2B directory and enquiry management website that connects event organizers with a curated network of Edinburgh-based venues, hotels, caterers, destination management companies, audio-visual suppliers, transport providers, and leisure activities. The platform functions as a lead-generation and matchmaking service rather than a direct booking system: event organizers create shortlists, submit enquiries, and receive tailored proposals directly from member suppliers. Service categories are organized into Venues (capacity for 50 to 5,000 delegates), Accommodation, Catering, Dining, Leisure, A/V, Transport, and Supporting Services, with anchor venues including the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), major hotel brands (Sheraton Grand, InterContinental The George, Kimpton Charlotte Square), and unique spaces such as the National Galleries of Scotland and Surgeons Quarter.

The organization's business model is publicly funded: it generates no direct revenue from event organizers, with operating resources drawn from Edinburgh City Council and likely supplemented by member fees from listed venues and service providers. The Ambassador Programme serves as an outbound go-to-market channel, with industry ambassadors engaging conference organizers and association decision-makers internationally to attract business events to the city. In 2023, Convention Edinburgh launched BEST (Business Events Shaping Tomorrow), a sub-platform designed to inspire and support business events in Edinburgh through tools and resources for event organizers. The organization operates with 11-50 employees and is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, with its contact channel routed through [email protected].

Name

Convention Edinburgh

Legal name

Convention Edinburgh

Website

https://meetingedinburgh.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Convention Edinburgh is the official government-owned destination marketing organization for Edinburgh, operating the Meeting Edinburgh B2B directory platform that connects event organizers with local venues, hotels, caterers, and event service providers across the city.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention Bureau Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE), Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

Keywords

• Convention bureau services
• Venue sourcing platform
• Destination marketing organization
• Business events directory
• Conference hosting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Directory/Membership Services: Meeting Edinburgh operates as a free service for event organizers to find venues, hotels, and event services. The platform appears to be funded through Convention Edinburgh's destination marketing activities, likely supported by Edinburgh City Council and membership fees from listed venues and service providers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Convention Edinburgh operates as Edinburgh's official convention bureau, providing the Meeting Edinburgh directory platform that connects event organizers with the city's venues, hotels, caterers, and event service providers. Event organizers can build shortlists, submit enquiries, and receive tailored proposals directly from suppliers, while the BEST (Business Events Shaping Tomorrow) initiative adds an innovation platform to inspire and support business events in the city.

Product overview

Meeting Edinburgh is a directory and booking request platform for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events) industry in Edinburgh, Scotland. The platform operates as a one-stop-shop connecting event organizers with a comprehensive network of venues, hotels, accommodation, catering services, dining options, leisure activities, audio-visual providers, transport services, and professional supporting services. The core platform is complemented by BEST (Business Events Shaping Tomorrow), a newer platform designed to inspire and support business events. The offering is organized into distinct service categories: Venues (including conference centers and unique spaces), Accommodation (hotels, apartments, campus, unique venues), Catering, Dining, Leisure, A/V, Transport, and Supporting Services (conference organizers, destination management). The platform functions as a matching/lead generation service rather than a direct booking system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BEST (Business Events Shaping Tomorrow): A platform inspiring business events in Edinburgh

Products and services

• Meeting Edinburgh Platform A one-stop online directory and enquiry platform connecting event organizers with Edinburgh venues, hotels, and event service providers. Users can build shortlists, submit enquiries, and liaise directly with member suppliers to receive tailored proposals for their conferences, meetings, and events.
• BEST (Business Events Shaping Tomorrow) An innovation-focused platform designed to inspire and support business events in Edinburgh by offering tools and resources that help event organizers take their business events to the next level.
• Ambassador Programme A service run by Convention Edinburgh that engages a network of industry ambassadors to promote Edinburgh as a conference destination and assist with conference bid submissions, helping to attract major international conferences and association events to the city.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEICC is Edinburgh's premier international conference venue with capacity for up to 2,000 delegates. The centre features 3,350m2 of exhibition space and is a key anchor venue promoted through Meeting Edinburgh's platform for attracting major international conferences to the city.
• Edinburgh City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvention Edinburgh / Meeting Edinburgh operates under Edinburgh City Council's destination marketing initiatives. The organization supports the city's business events strategy and is funded through public sector resources.
• MCI UK LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCI is a full-service professional conference organizing company with 35+ years experience. They work closely with Convention Edinburgh to attract conferences to the city and have organized over 200 conferences in Edinburgh venues. They serve scientific, medical, academic sectors, and not-for-profit/government institutions.
• Conference Partners International (CPI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-award winning and internationally accredited Professional Conference Organiser with 25 years experience organizing conferences for up to 30,000 delegates. Offices in Dublin and UK.
• Thistle DMCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDestination Management Company offering full conference management services in Scotland with their own fleet of 20 deluxe coaches for group transportation.
• Cashel TravelmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMC with head office in Edinburgh and offices in Manchester and London. Multilingual team experts in conference packages and incentive trips.
• Andrew Burnet & Company LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottish-based boutique Destination Management Company creating inspirational experiences for global incentive and corporate clients since 2002.
• Prestige Venues and EventsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScotland's leading provider of award-winning food & hospitality since 1966. Chosen caterer for meetings, dinners & conferences at over 30 unique venues across Edinburgh and Scotland.
• Heritage PortfoliomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative and innovative catering specialists organizing events that enhance company reputation using seasonal ingredients. International experience.
• University of Edinburgh Hospitality & Events CollectionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive conference village environment with John McIntyre Conference Centre (up to 300 delegates), two onsite 4-star hotels, Summer Campus accommodation (2000+ bedrooms), and extensive landscaped gardens.
• Surgeons Quarter / Royal College of Surgeons of EdinburghmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollection of historic and contemporary venues under Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Profits support surgical training worldwide. Includes Ten Hill Place Hotel with 129 bedrooms.
• BEST (Business Events Shaping Tomorrow)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA new platform inspiring business events in Edinburgh, part of Meeting Edinburgh's innovation initiative to elevate the city's MICE industry.
• Edinburgh AirportminorOthersEdinburgh's international airport facilitates delegate arrivals for business events, with most venues located within 8 miles of the airport.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• London & Partners: London's official convention bureau and destination marketing organization, operating London's business events platform. Direct peer because both are city-level DMOs targeting the same association, academic, and corporate conference bid pipeline, with comparable Ambassador-style programmes and free enquiry-based platforms.
• Glasgow Convention Bureau: Scotland-based city convention bureau marketing Glasgow for business events. Direct peer because it operates an equivalent free platform model in the same domestic market, competing with Convention Edinburgh for UK association and corporate events that might otherwise go to Scotland.
• Manchester Convention Bureau: Manchester's official city convention bureau promoting the city for conferences and meetings. Direct peer given the same DMO model, Ambassador-equivalent programmes, and competition for UK and international association conferences.

Broad incumbents

• VisitScotland Business Events: National tourism body's business events division promoting all of Scotland. Broad incumbent peer — overlaps in scope and supplier network but operates at country level rather than competing head-to-head for city-specific bids.
• VisitBritain: UK national tourism agency promoting Britain to international visitors and events. Broad incumbent peer — overlaps in marketing the UK for inbound conferences but operates at national scale rather than city-specific bids.

Regional players

• Dublin Convention Bureau: Ireland's capital city convention bureau, part of Fáilte Ireland. Regional peer that competes with Edinburgh in the broader UK & Ireland association bid market but is geographically distinct and benefits from different national tourism positioning.
• Birmingham Convention Bureau: City-level UK convention bureau focused on Birmingham. Regional peer offering similar services to a different UK city and competing for some of the same association and corporate event demand.

Others

• Cvent: Global event-management software platform offering venue sourcing, RFP automation, and attendee management. Adjacent peer — not a DMO but increasingly competes for the same planner workflow, offering a deeper technology stack than Convention Edinburgh's directory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/conventions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/edinburgh-convention-bureau

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Convention Edinburgh