CONVENTION Edinburgh – the business tourism arm for Marketing Edinburgh – has appointed two new sales colleagues.

Laura Henry, pictured, left, joins as international association sales manager, bringing 11 years of business development experience in the hospitality sector to the team.

Nam Gowans-Brown joins the team as national association sales executive, bringing with her a solid track record of sales achievement in the service and hospitality industry.

The new appointments will support the team in a challenging climate, with Brexit having the potential to unsettle international meeting planners, who may previously have been more likely to consider Edinburgh and the UK as a whole. To stand up to this threat, both new team members will be involved in progressing the next phase of Convention Edinburgh’s “Make It Edinburgh” campaign which was made possible by £80,000 of funding from public and private organisations across the city.

The first phase of the campaign was launched to highlight Edinburgh’s position as a leading business tourism destination.

Amanda Ferguson of Convention Edinburgh said: “In 2017/18 £73 million was contributed to the local economy as a result of meetings confirmed by Convention Edinburgh alone – and while the climate is challenging, we’re moving forward with confidence, supported by a skilled team that truly believes in Edinburgh’s continued appeal as a business tourism destination.”