The Business Visits and Events Partnership is the new name for the Business Tourism Partnership. Its mission is to 'lead the way in supporting a competitive, high quality and more profitable business visits and events sector in Britain'.

The Partnership:

• Provides a cohesive, independent industry voice to represent Britain's business visit and events sector working in partnership with VisitBritain.
• Its membership is aimed at the leading trade associations and government agencies with an interest in conferences, meetings, exhibitions, trade fairs, outdoor events, incentive travel, corporate hospitality, cultural, sporting and leisure events.
• Seeks to influence and develop policies and strategies favourable to the development of the business visits and events sector, together with all these organisations.
• Provides a forum for members to select the important issues relating to business visits and events.
• Acts as a central focus for lobbying and speaking up collectively for business visits and events, independently of government departments and agencies.
• Promotes the benefits of business visits and events to relevant government authorities with responsibilities for decisions that impact the growth of the sector.
• Communicates with and better informs key influencers and industry practitioners.
• Encourage best practice.

Business visits, on the other hand, tend to beextremely punctual. If you arrive late to a business appointment, it willreflect badly on you. So try to arrive on time, or even a little early. If youknow that you will be arriving late, you should telephone ahead to let themknow of the delay.

If a business meeting takes place over a meal, expectthe business discussions to begin after everyone has ordered their meal,sometimes as soon as everyone is seated. Socializing tends to occur after thebusiness is concluded, not before. This is in contrast with the practice inmany other countries, where the purpose of the meal is to socialize with andget to know each other before any business is discussed.

When businessmen or businesswomen meet, they usuallyintroduce themselves by shaking right hands. When you shake hands, don’t crushtheir fingers, but also don‘t hold their hand too lightly. A firm handshake isbest.

Business cards are not normally exchanged upon meeting.If you need a colleague’s contact information, it is ok to ask them for theircard. It is also ok to offer someone your card. But there is not an elaborateritual of exchanging cards as in other cultures.