Who we are

We are the agency charged with promoting Greater Manchester nationally and internationally

We are partnership-led and tasked with delivering several essential components that raise the overall profile and global perceptions of Greater Manchester.

We are the city-region's official destination marketing organisation, which incorporates the official tourist board, Visit Manchester, and the Manchester Convention Bureau and Sports Bidding Unit. We deliver campaigns in partnership with MIDAS, Manchester's inward investment agency, focused on the promotion of frontier sectors including digital, innovation and green, as well as place promotion activities on behalf of The Manchester Partnership.

Aims, objectives and governance

We are part of The Growth Company and work in collaboration with local, regional, and national partners; both public and commercial in scope. We report into the International and Marketing Advisory Board, the Greater Manchester Business Board, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

We have three core strategic aims:

  • Promote Greater Manchester on the national and international stage;
  • Influence and facilitate Greater Manchester place-making and shaping;
  • Strive to be an exemplar Destination Marketing Organisation.

Our annual operational objectives are included within The Growth Company's Business Plan and support the delivery of several Greater Manchester policies and ambitions including the Greater Manchester Strategy, the Greater Manchester Internationalisation Strategy, the Greater Manchester Tourism Strategy, and the Greater Manchester Economic Vision.

History

We were incorporated in April 1996 when it was recognised that as a city-region, Greater Manchester needed improve its storytelling and how it presented itself to the wider world. We've been doing that for over 25 years and have been at the heart of rapid change in the last decade.

Our purpose has evolved greatly since 1996, and whilst we still incorporate Greater Manchester's official tourist board, bid for major sport and business conferences, and undertake important research on behalf of the visitor economy; we are now also at the forefront of strategic campaigns to attract businesses based on our frontier sector strengths, and we also have a crucial role to facilitate partnerships and events for the property sector.