Manchester Central, today announced it will welcome nearly half a million through its doors (13 per cent uplift) during its 2025 season, contributing a forecasted £130 million into the city-region.
This surge in visitor numbers solidifies Manchester Central's position as a leading venue in the sector.
The growth has been attributed, in part, to the notable trend of organisers, including Hyrox, Accountex and the Destination and Caravan Show all choosing to add Northern editions to their event calendars to tap into the burgeoning northern market. Clinical Pharmacy Congress, Digital Construction Week and the HETT annual event have also all added Northern editions.
Furthermore, 49% of the events which took place in 2024 are returning for 2025, including the UK’s largest insurance broking event, The BIBA Conference, MegaCon Live, and Housing, which sees the whole of the UK’s Housing sector convene in Manchester.
"We're seeing a significant shift in the events landscape," said Lori Hoinkes, CEO of Manchester Central.
“November 2024 was our busiest month ever at Manchester Central, and it’s clear that businesses are recognising the immense value and vibrancy that Manchester offers.
The city boasts a booming economy, a thriving cultural scene and a business community that wants to embrace new entrants, and by coming to Manchester, event organisers are finding that they are maximising their investment, reaching new audiences and capitalising on the economic growth here.”
“As a centrally-located venue, we’re within walking distance of the city’s transport hubs and hotels, which our organisers love, and this also supports the local businesses who benefit exponentially from the hundreds of thousands of visitors coming here. The forecast for the year ahead isn’t just great news for us as a venue, but the wider business community and local economy - something which is hugely important to us.”
The forecast comes as one leading UK economic forecasting group, EY ITEM Club, projected that Manchester would become the UK’s fastest-growing city in 2025, with an expected GVA uptick of 1.8%, citing the region’s focus on attracting talent to value-add sectors as an example for other cities to follow.
The coming years are also projected to see the city and surrounding region continue their strong growth trajectory, with GVA in 2026 expected to be £2bn higher than it was in 2022.
As one of the largest venues in Manchester, offering 23,000 sq m of flexible event space, Manchester Central hosts events of all sizes, from intimate gatherings to large-scale conferences and exhibitions with a capacity of over 10,000.