Visit Leeds, Hospitality Action and AI specialists among speakers as the city’s hotels and venues association launches an inaugural MICE event designed to replace the traditional trade show

Hospitality Live Leeds arrives at the Royal Armouries on Monday 20 April, bringing a full programme of 18 speaker sessions across four stages, curated networking and a festival-style afterparty to the city’s South Bank. The inaugural one-day event — organised by the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association, Cloud9 Events Agency and the Royal Armouries — positions Leeds as a serious contender in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions market, with the full speaker line-up and exhibitor format now confirmed.

The event aims to create what the organisers describe as a “refreshingly human” format. Instead of shell schemes and sales pitches, exhibitors will showcase from lounge-style spaces. In a distinctive twist, hotels taking the Accommodation Zone stand option will display an actual bed as part of their setup — all 25 of which will be donated to Leeds children’s bed charity Zarach after the event. The expo runs from midday, with a party featuring drinks, music and informal networking kicking off from 6pm.

Wayne Topley, Managing Director of Cedar Court Hotels and Chairman of the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association, said:

“I am thrilled to be collaborating with passionate industry experts to organise the inaugural Hospitality Live event. With this new approach, we have taken away the formalities and rigid structure of a traditional trade show with the aim of providing opportunities for delegates to create genuine new connections.”

Hospitality Live Leeds — What’s On at a Glance

When: Monday 20 April 2026 — Expo from 12pm, Festival Party from 6pm
Where: Royal Armouries, Armouries Drive, Leeds LS10 1LT
Stages: The Big Talk, The Tool Kit, The Engine Room, The Future Room
Sessions: 18 flash sessions across 250+ minutes
Key speakers: Claire Heap (Visit Leeds), Rick Stainton (The Power of Events), Lee Ann Jones (Hospitality Action), Simon Bracewell (HelmsBriscoe — AI & venue sourcing), Dr Ferron Gray (Grae Matta), Andy Williamson (Welcome Brain — neurodiversity, x2 sessions)
Charity partner: Zarach — 25 beds and mattresses donated to children in Leeds
Organisers: Leeds Hotels & Venues Association (25 hotel partners, 35 suppliers), Cloud9 Events Agency, Royal Armouries

Sponsors: Punch Hospitality, Famtastic, Royal Armouries, LHVA

The speaker programme covers ground from CSR strategy and mentoring to LinkedIn sales tactics and the future of tech in live events. The Visit Leeds session from Claire Heap on designing experiences people actually remember, is a standout for anyone in the city’s hospitality sector, while Simon Bracewell’s session on AI-driven venue sourcing reflects the accelerating role of technology in how corporate events are booked and delivered. Neurodiversity features prominently, with Andy Williamson from Welcome Brain delivering sessions on both practical inclusion and the future of neurodiverse events.

The event arrives ahead of UKREiiF in May, which returns to the Royal Armouries for a fifth year and draws over 16,000 delegates. Together, the two events reinforce the venue’s growing role as a northern hub for major trade shows and industry gatherings.

Why this matters for Leeds

Leeds is building a serious reputation as a destination for business events and conferences, with UKREiiF alone generating an estimated £60 million annually for the local economy. Hospitality Live adds a new fixture to that calendar, specifically targeting the MICE sector that underpins hotel bookings, venue hire and corporate hospitality across the city. The involvement of Visit Leeds as a speaker, plus the LHVA’s 25 hotel partners, signals coordinated ambition from the city’s hospitality sector.