An industry body has urged the Prime Minister to help bring more international business events and conferences to Britain as the government embarks on a series of top-level trade summits.

Government ministers will meet leading UK and Chinese industrialists at a global business summit in London today aimed at fostering trade ties with the world’s fastest-growing economy.

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) wants ministers to support the use of meetings and exhibitions to promote research and scientific development and boost trade and exports.

In a letter to David Cameron the partnership, which represents the business events sector, said the events industry would generate an extra £500m from the London Olympics and Paralympic Games.

It is estimated that business and incentive groups visiting the Games – holding meetings and events and extending their stay in Britain – would increase tourism spend by 20 per cent.

Michael Hirst, chairman of the Business Visits and Events Partnership, said: "By stepping up their involvement in bidding for international events which relate to their departmental responsibilities, government ministers can help facilitate more business events in Britain. These will help promote British goods and services and develop our expertise for medical and scientific research”.

He added: “The Olympic Games shows just how good our event management skills are in staging international events. We must build on these strengths to help our economic recovery.”

The letter also draws attention to the inclusion of the events sector in the Government’s GREAT promotion and the current 'Britain For Events' campaign, which promotes Britain as a world-class destination for global events and highlights the economic and social benefits of holding events. The partnership plans a special briefing on the state of the UK events business and its role in the economy to MPs and municipal leaders, at the House of Commons, on 5th September.

Pictured: Michael Hirst