ACC Liverpool has achieved its highest annual turnover since opening in 2008, though pre-tax profits took a hit due to extensive investments.

The venue, home to BT Convention Centre, Echo Arena and Exhibition Centre Liverpool, delivered a turnover of £16.1 million in the year to 31 March 2015, up from £15.4m for the previous 12 months.

Pre-tax profits were down £270,000 due to a £2.3m investment in the arena and convention centre ahead of September's opening of the new exhibition centre.

The venues welcomed more than 93,000 delegates for 121 conferences, including the Audi UK National Forum, the BBC Worldwide Showcase, the European Society of Biomaterials and the Royal College of Nursing Congress.

Bob Prattey, chief executive of The ACC Liverpool Group, said: “In our latest financial period we achieved our highest ever turnover, welcomed 703,000 visitors to 214 events and brought £113m in economic benefit to Liverpool. We have now generated £1bn in economic impact to the city region since we opened in 2008.

“2015 is a significant year for us with the opening in September of our new exhibition centre and, in order to continue to provide world class conference and entertainment facilities, we carried out a comprehensive £2.3m programme of maintenance to the existing buildings to enhance facilities for visitors and to invest for the future.  These included the refurbishment of VIP boxes in the arena, Wi-Fi upgrades, a wider range of technical equipment and improvements to the Galleria space in the convention centre.”

Conferences and exhibitions to take place in 2016 include the return of the BBC Worldwide Showcase, the International Festival for Business - which will bring 70 events over three weeks - and the Labour Party conference.

Prattey added: "Our expansion not only enables us to host larger exhibitions, more national and international conferences and major entertainment events, it is a new major asset to support the visitor economy in the city region. We are creating jobs, bringing more visitors, boosting our contribution to the region’s economy and helping to raise Liverpool’s international profile.”