GLASGOW has won a top award for attracting and hosting conventions in the city.

The city’s Glasgow Convention Bureau was named the best in the UK for the 11th year in a row at an industry awards ceremony.

The Bureau took top spot in a UK wide poll ahead of competitors in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Since it first won the title in 2007, Glasgow’s Convention Bureau has worked with partners to secure more than £1bn of business for the city, helping to bring thousands of conventions and conferences.

The success has meant more than one million delegates spending four or more nights in the city’s hotels, boosting the hospitality trade.

In the last year the city has won more than 500 conference bookings lasting till 2022 estimated to be worth £141m.

Some of the major conferences coming to the city include the International Congress of Paediatrics in 2021, bringing 4,500 delegates to the city generating almost £11 million for the local economy.

The National Cancer Research Institute Congress in 2018 will bring 1,700 delegates to the city worth £3.5 million.

Aileen Crawford, Head of Glasgow’s Convention Bureau, said: “Winning this award 11 times is unprecedented and reinforces our reputation not just as the UK’s conference capital, but as a world-class conventions centre.

“With the launch of the city’s new tourism plan, and with business on our books to 2022 and bids in planning as far out as 2026, Glasgow’s capability and credibility in the global conventions market is stronger than ever before – and this award ensures we will continue to grow from a position of strength.

Kathleen Warden, Director of Conferences at the Scottish Event Campus, said: “This is fabulous news for Glasgow and for the SEC, which accounts for almost 80% of overseas delegates coming to the city annually.”