Marketing Leeds is leading a delegation to Belgium along with its partners bmi Regional and Leeds Bradford International Airport.  The group of businesses will be visiting Brussels this week to showcase the city and to facilitate links between companies to enable them to do business. 

A twenty-strong delegation, including business leaders and tourism and leisure professionals will head to the Belgian capital on Tuesday 11th October and will be welcomed by Timothy Kirkhope MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber at his European Parliament base. 

Travelling aboard bmi Regional’s direct Leeds Bradford-Brussels service, which celebrates its 10 year anniversary next month, the delegation will meet with potential inward investors and businesses willing to consider trading opportunities with Leeds and the Yorkshire region.  

A series of meetings, events and networking opportunities are planned, beginning and culminating in two VIP receptions hosted at the British Ambassador’s residence in Brussels. The first event will be a business forum attended by representatives of Leeds City Council, Leeds Legal and Leeds Metropolitan University. The second reception which is being organised with support from Leeds Hotels and Venues Association, will be an opportunity for leisure businesses, including Radisson Blu, RAI plc and Weetwood Hall Conference Centre and Hotel to showcase their facilities. There will also be opportunities for the delegation to meet with Members of the European Parliament as well as Ambassadors to Brussels, the EU and NATO.  

Deborah Green, Chief Executive of Marketing Leeds says: “Belgium is a key target for Leeds and the wider region.  Brussels is a European business hub and the administrative centre for the EU.  The country is the UK’s 6th largest trading partner and a large number of multinationals and SMEs are based there.  Events such as Leeds in Belgium give us a real opportunity to talk to these businesses and the political leaders based there about the strength of the Leeds business and leisure offer and to articulate the case for the city as a key location for business and investment.”   

Steven Griffiths, bmi Regional Business Director said: “Leeds is a vibrant city and is a great place to do business or to take a leisure break and is also the gateway to England’s beautiful north. With ten years’ experience of supplying a direct link between Leeds and Brussels we recognise the importance of providing convenient and frequent schedules for both business and leisure travellers so we welcome this opportunity to promote our route and great British service to new customers.”   
Timothy Kirkhope, MEP said: “I am delighted to be part of this exciting initiative which will hopefully bring key interest in Leeds and in Belgium closer together for their mutual benefit.  It also highlights the importance of maintaining direct transport links, especially that provided by BMI between Leeds Bradford and Brussels.”

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