Visit London celebrated the first anniversary of the London Business Tourism Champions (LBTC) at International Confex 2006. The group, which represents the voice of London's business tourism industry, was launched at Confex last year, and has been busy promoting the capital throughout the past twelve months.

In that time, the LBTC's have provided independent insight and opinion through the media and via speaker opportunities at trade shows and industry events. The group meets each quarter for briefings with Visit London, who provide up to date information to aid individuals representing the capital within their daily business lives.

"We are delighted with the role the London Business Tourism Champions are playing in promoting our capital," comments David Hornby, Commercial Director at Visit London and Chairman of the London Business Tourism Champions. "They provide both an independent voice for London and a sounding board for us to tailor our own business tourism activity."

Included among the 25 LBTC's are Vanessa Cotton, Managing Director of Conference and Events, ExCeL London; Rene Angoujard, General Manager, Novotel London West; Paul Mulcahy, Managing Director Hotel & Stadium, Chelsea FC; Simon Kimble, Managing Director, Clarion Events; Mark Riches, Managing Director, First Protocol.

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Left to right on the front row - Neil Evans, George P Johnson, Patricia Holmes, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Visit London's Commercial Director and Chairman of the London Business Tourism Champions David Hornby, Visit London's Chief Executive James Bidwell, David Sharp, BA London Eye, and Francesco Ieri, Jolly Hotels.

Left to right on the back row - Lacy Curtis-Ward, Conference Centre at Church House, Simon Burton, Exposure Event Creations, Rene Dee, Royal Horticultural Halls, Ian Lovat-Fraser, Natural History Museum, Wendy Moffatt, Spectra Travel, Sofia Vandaele, Starwood Hotels, Mark Riches, First Protocol and Tom Woods, Woods River Cruises.

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Notes to Editors:

The celebration of the London Business Tourism Champions took place at 3pm on Tuesday 21st February on the Visit London stand (stand: B970).

The cake was created by the talented people at Create Food.