Emirates Old Trafford has announced the appointment of SFA Connect, which will see the agency focus on larger, experience-based corporate events, including association meetings, for the Manchester venue.
The deal follows the recent relaunch of the venue – Destination Emirates Old Trafford – now boasting 250 high-end bedrooms and an iconic new events space, The Edge, which opened earlier this summer when the venue hosted the Ashes. The hotel expansion and events space completes the £75 million redevelopment of Emirates Old Trafford into a world-class multi-functional venue over the past 15 years.
The new developments, including the recently expanded Hilton Garden Inn on site, have opened up the Manchester venue to even more larger events, working with expanded options from existing event spaces including The Pavilion and The Point. The additional 100 bedrooms (previously a 150-bed hotel) will allow more delegates to stay on site, while still providing meeting space, exhibition opportunities, restaurants and social activities.
SFA Connect already has an excellent reputation in the industry for building ambassador programs, providing insight and advice and providing sales support to companies within the meetings and events industry. The organization – based just outside Manchester – has a proven track record of delivering quality insights, lead generation and marketing support for venues.
Meanwhile, Emirates Old Trafford represents a growing sector as more organizations view sports stadiums as a refreshing option for large-scale, complex, residential meetings and events, but with a broader, experience-based quality and personality. At the same time, more and more associations are trying to underline their values through their events and the locations where they take place. Destination Emirates Old Trafford not only offers the facilities they need, but also an environment that represents the best in international sport, entertainment, heritage, sustainability, health and nutrition.
“We are pleased to be working with Emirates Old Trafford. The developments they have made to the stadiums make it ideal for larger gatherings, not least in the association sector.” comments Sarah Fleming, Managing Director of SFA Connect. “We are already seeing that event organizers are looking for a new meeting style, one that is more dynamic, more built around purpose and experience, and with that extra x-factor for the participants. This is a venue that has it all and we really enjoy working with the Emirates Old Trafford team.
“We are really focused on building the relationships we have in the industry, and SFA Connect is a great organization to work with, they have incredible knowledge of the industry” added Angela Hodson, Sales Director, Emirates Old Trafford. “We have a location that is ideal for catering for large meetings and with large numbers of participants. We can give them space to meet, exhibit, eat and relax at the end of the day. In the meantime, we offer them high-quality hospitality and a taste of international top sport.”
The new Hilton Garden Inn Hotel was launched earlier this summer during The Ashes and has turned the venue into a complete events destination. As part of the launch, the company introduced the Destination Emirates Old Trafford campaign to highlight the full range of facilities on site alongside the new and expanded hotel.
If you are interested in hosting an event at Emirates Old Trafford, please contact the team here.
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