The Newport/South-East Wales Conference Bureau is in place for helping local businesses with their events, as much as bringing in business from outside.

Recently, at a major exhibition for conferences and events promoting venues and destinations, The National Venue Show at the NEC, it was surprising to meet fairly substantial companies from Newport who were looking to hold events.

The Newport/S E Wales Bureau had a stand there sharing with the Wales Tourist Board, and attracted some local South Wales companies, who were not aware of the support desk at all, and were surprised by the promotion that Newport and the surrounding area was getting.

This help can be from sourcing venues, to giving information on local suppliers, linking up for safety advisory information through to possible promotion for the event itself.

An extension of this approach is if local companies, organisations or even individuals involved have links elsewhere with event organisers.

They might suggest that an event, perhaps held normally in another destination, comes to the Newport/ S E Wales area for once.

The bureau here will be able to support that where possible, even down to providing images, information and a bed-booking service through the Tourist Information Centres. These could be charity events, product launches, sporting events, team building, annual association conference, medical associations down to local incentive trips - such as "come to the Ryder Cup golfing country for a weekend break" which can be advertised at central headquarters. We have one-stop-shop arrangements available to help with bespoke company requirements.

You may be surprised by what there is in your own backyard, and how that might be used to put your business or yourself on the map.