ACCORDING to new research by Deloitte and Manchester Airport City, international businesses are three times more likely to pick an airport location over the city centre when looking to expand their North West operations.
"Airport City is the ideal choice for any international business looking to relocate, with costs up to 40% cheaper than London developments."
The research, carried out on 256 business travellers at Manchester Airport between 30 April and 21 May 2014, monitors trends and changes in inbound international business traveller behaviour at Manchester Airport.
The survey found that 20% of companies that already had a presence in the North West were looking to expand. This is more than double last year's total, which stood at only 8%.
The results also showed that international businesses were three times as likely to opt for an airport location over the city centre.
Airport City
The research identified a surge in business travellers from India and China, with almost 10% of those travellers from BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), 73% of which travelled from India.
Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) found a huge 59% increase in visitors to Manchester from the BRIC countries last year, including an 86% increase in visitors from India.
These inbound business travellers cited an increase in UK customers and new ventures in partnership with North West businesses as key reasons for their increasingly regular business trips through Manchester Airport.
This BRIC growth follows the hugely successful International Festival of Business, which showcased the North West’s international trade credentials.
Jo Ahmed, Director of Global Employer Services at Deloitte in the North West said: “India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, so the increased links between India and the North West are incredibly positive.
“I’ve been part of a number of trips to India to promote international trade, and I’ve seen first hand the synergies between the two – particularly Manchester and Bangalore. Both sides stand to gain a lot from business relationships, and I’m encouraged by this growth in visitor numbers."
Airport City
Lynda Shillaw, Divisional CEO Property at MAG, which is a 50% joint venture partner in Airport City Manchester said:
“Manchester Airport is an established international gateway and a surge in the number of businesses looking to expand in the region is certainly something to be celebrated.
"Airport City Manchester is the perfect location to meet the requirements of such a diverse range of occupiers. Offering unrivalled connectivity regionally, nationally and internationally access to a strong talent pool and a positive quality of life is the ideal choice for any international business looking to relocate, with costs up to 40% cheaper than London developments."
Other key findings include:
- Responses came from 40 different countries across the globe.
- Manufacturing (29%), TMT (17%) and healthcare/life sciences (13%) are the industry sectors with the most visitors.
- The most common length of stay was 3 to 5 days (40%).
- The countries with most number of visitors were Germany (15%), USA (13%) and Italy (7%).
More on Airport City Manchester here.
