The total audited figure was 8,292 and included 5,822 registered visitors and 2,470 other attendees such as journalists, exhibitors and conference speakers. The figures have been officially audited and released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation, the organisation which checks and verifies event attendances. The success of the event means that an average of 500 people an hour arrived at the London expo - equivalent to eight for every minute the two-day exhibition and conference was open. The record numbers also mean that the three Mortgage Business Expo events last year – in London, Manchester and Scotland – attracted over 9,140 visitors.
Mortgage Business Expo is now officially the biggest event in the financial services calendar and is organised by London-based Clarion Events. The events are believed to be the only exhibition and conference gatherings for professional advisers and lenders of their kind that are audited by ABC.
Daniel Nwaokolo, Clarion Events Show Director, said: “The record attendance, audited by a highly respected industry body, underlines the importance of Mortgage Business Expo to the mortgage industry. The support from IFAs, lenders and mortgage professionals of all kinds in 2006 reinforces the success of the events and underlines the strength and resilience of the mortgage market. We plan to build on this for 2007.”
ABC figures showed 4,564 visitors attended Mortgage Business Expo London in 2005 and 5,822 in 2006 (excluding other attendees). This is an increase of over 27per cent.
This year’s Mortgage Business Expo London takes place on 14 and 15 November at Earls Court 2 and further expansion is planned after the success of 2006. More details will be announced later. Mortgage Business Expo Manchester, which last year attracted 2,421 registered visitors, according to ABC, will be held on 16 and 17 May at the Manchester G-Mex Centre. Financial Services Scotland (incorporating Mortgage Business Expo Scotland), last year attracted 897 registered visitors and will be held this year on 8 March at Glasgow’s SECC.
