Growing confidence within the Scottish oil and gas industry is driving up bookings for a trip across the Atlantic to the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2017.
Aberdeen-based energy industry travel expert Munro’s Travel and the Press and Journal have organised their regular visit to OTC for delegates through a tie-up dating back to 1973.
Yesterday, Munro’s managing director Murray Burnett said take-up for the 2017 event at the NRG Park in Houston, Texas, was up, compared with a year ago.
He added: “Increased optimism within the energy industry has certainly fuelled interest in attending OTC from north-east companies.
“Our forward bookings are ahead of this time last year which highlights the continuing significance of OTC and the substantial international business opportunities it offers.
“Another reflection of the importance of this event is the fact that a high percentage of our delegates already booked have been with us to OTC previously.”
More than 68,000 people from 120 countries attended OTC last year and a similar number are expected to attend this year’s four-day event from May 1-4.
Munro’s is getting a lot of repeat business from companies wanting its competitive packages of flights, accommodation and transfers to and from the airport as well as the OTC 2017 venue.
But there are many newomers too – and it is not just north-east firms looking to join the exodus across the Atlantic, where the Munro’s/P&J delegation is once again returning to its regular hotel headquarters at the Hilton Houston Post Oak.
Mr Burnett said energy sector firms throughout the UK were keen to take advantage of the many networking opportunities on offer.
This year’s social schedule includes a new event, Kilts v Cowboys, which is already generating a lot of interest.
Last year’s OTC was a huge success, despite the global oil and gas downturn, with more than 2,600 companies exhibiting.
There were nearly 300 first-time exhibitors, while international companies made up more than half of the overall total.
OTC 2016 chairman Joe Fowler said: “The world came to OTC to make critical decisions, share ideas and develop business partnerships to meet global energy demands.”
Among the throng were hundreds of representatives of North Sea companies who braved the downturn and took advantage of business growth opportunities which would have escaped them had they not been there.