BUSINESS people in Glasgow have been urged to play a more proactive role in helping to the city to attract conferences and events.

The challenge has been laid down by the organisers of the Think Scotland, Think Scotland Conference, developed by Business for Tourism Scotland, which takes place at the Glasgow Science Centre on June 3.

Promising to engage with businesses on an "unprecedented scale", it will aim to equip company leaders with marketing tools, knowledge and support to become advocates of business tourism in Scotland.

The event, hosted by BTfS, comes as the business tourism sector in Scotland is challenged with growing revenue by £400 million or 21 per cent to £2.3 billion by 2020.

Public bodies Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland are supporting the initiative by using their networks at home and abroad to generate enquiries.

Judy Rae, head of corporate events at Glasgow Science Centre and BTfS chair, said: "I'm a passionate believer that business tourism is about more than tourism, it's an economic driver that brings substantial and far reaching benefits to the wider region. "With TSTC we are directly engaging with business leaders, simply asking them to consider putting Glasgow and Scotland forward as the next host location for their organisation's next annual conference, team building or incentive event.

"Business events offer Scotland an unrivalled opportunity to showcase the country's strengths in our key sectors. Many potential investors have their first ever experience of Scotland through attending an international business event hosted here. Equally, innovative and internationally ambitious Scottish companies use conferences to develop new business opportunities. TSTC opens a new dialogue and exciting opportunities for Scotland."

Along with the Glasgow conference, TSTC will be hosting events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Perth, Dumfries, Aviemore, Inverness, Stirling, Aberdeen and Fife throughout the summer.