Can Scotland go Dutch – and become a leading cycling nation – with the inaugural UCI World Championships in 2023?

Scotland can become a world-leading cycling nation – following in the tire treads of Holland – when it hosts the sport’s inaugural UCI World Championships in 2023.

That will be the argument made by British Cycling Policy Manager Nick Chamberlain when he speaks at the National Events Conference at Gleneagles Hotel on September 9.

Joining a stellar line-up of internationally renowned speakers and presenters, Nick’s presentation, “Let’s change the way we move – Can Scotland go Dutch?”will highlight the unique opportunity available to Scotland in hosting the biggest ever festival of cycle sport: the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.  Will this ground breaking major event create the chance for Scotland to follow in the footsteps of Holland and become a cycling nation?

Nick said: “I’m delighted to be speaking at this year’s National Events Conference. In 2023 Scotland will once again welcome the world and deliver another ground-breaking major event, the UCI Cycling World Championships, but does the event offer more than just a great spectator experience? I look forward to discussing with delegates the opportunity for Scotland to follow the example of the Dutch and embrace cycling for everyone and to adopt transport polices to allow short car journeys to be replaced with bikes instead.”

With just under a month to go, Nick is the latest speaker to confirm his attendance at the flagship industry conference for the Scottish events & festivals sector, which will address the theme Embracing Innovation, Delivering Change. Other confirmed keynote speakers include: 

• Bruce Dewar, CEO & President Lift Philanthropy Partners 
• Dr Beatriz Garcia, Director, Impacts 18 / European Capital of Culture Research Programme
• Helen Marriage MBE, Director, Artichoke
• Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, 
• Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events

There is also a range of breakout sessions with sector experts covering up-to-the-minute topics relevant to the industry, including:

• Events and Sustainability with Jonathan Smith, GEO Foundation Founder & Executive Director and consultant to The Solheim Cup, Dan Withall, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Property Manager, and Lachlan Kirk, Resource Efficient Scotland Implementation Advisor.

• Visitor & Audience Trends with Chris Greenwood, VisitScotland Senior Tourism Insight Manager, and Cimeon Ellerton, The Audience Agency Chief Product Officer

• Broadcast Innovationwith Jason Wessely, Sky Sports Golf Executive Producer, Jack McGill, CEO QTV, and Ali Russell, Formula E Director of Media & New Business

• Data Drive Innovationwith Joshua Ryan-Saha, University of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation Lead for Tourism & Festivals, Lyndsey Jackson, Deputy CEO Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Oliver Davis, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Head of Marketing & Development, and James McVeigh, Festivals Edinburgh Head of Marketing and Innovation

With the conference taking place alongside the 2019 Solheim Cup – the biggest women’s golf event in the world – conference delegates will have the unique opportunity to go on a ‘behind the scenes’ tour and hear from some of the key people delivering this major international event. 

The conference will provide delegates with a first class opportunity to hear from experts, network with industry peers and share their event experiences, plus enjoy the fabulous surrounds of the Gleneagles resort. As part of the delegate pass, there are free courtesy coaches from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “I’m delighted to have Nick join us at this year’s National Events Conference to share his insights into how Scotland can capitalise on the amazing opportunity the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships presents beyond just delivering a world-class event. 

“This year’s conference is shaping up to be one of the best yet and to have the opportunity to host it within a major international event is something truly special. With places selling fast, I urge anyone in Scotland’s events and festivals sector who is yet to sign up to do so now. It promises to be a great day filled with lots of helpful information and insight as well as a great opportunity to network with industry peers in the amazing surrounds of Gleneagles Hotel.”

Gleneagles HotelNational Events Conference