BOSSES at the BIC and Pavilion are expecting another year of growth, with a diary full of major events for the rest of the year.

The financial year which ended in March saw 300,000 people visit the BIC, while the Pavilion drew 200,000.

Steve Turner, general manager of BH Live – the social enterprise which runs Bournemouth’s leisure and entertainment venues – said the events would have contributed around £48million to the local economy and supported 4,500 jobs.

“Last year, we had a very heavy year for conferences and exhibitions,” he said.

This year would see more entertainment events and “most probably fewer delegates”, he added.

“Conferences can book two years in advance, whereas a tour would come in a year in advance at the most."

Last week’s Bryan Adams concert is among the biggest entertainment events lined up for this financial year, with other top tickets set to include Catherine Tate in November, the Human League the same month and Reeves and Mortimer’s 25th anniversary tour in December,

Major conferences in recent weeks have included Rotary International GB & Ireland and the Communication Workers Union. The professional union Prospect will arrive in May, while the GMB will return in May for the first time in more than 25 years. The event will involve 700 delegates and is estimated to be worth £1.5m to the economy.

Newcomers will include the food business Country Range in June, the British Dermatological Nursing Group the same month, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and the Association of Stoma Care Nurses, both in September.

Events for the general public include Bournemouth Film and Comic Con, making its second appearance of the year in 2016; four helpings of Ultra White Collar Boxing; the Bournemouth Vegan Fair, expected to attract 5,000 visitors in June; and the two-week British Chess Championships at the Pavilion from August.

Mr Turner said Bournemouth was always pitching for new business, with BH Live recently going to the IMEX event in Frankfurt for event planners.

He said the attractiveness of the resort remained a draw, especially for union and professional events. “The union members want to be here and they can really attract larger audiences because it’s a nice town to come to. That’s one of our strengths, that people want to be in Bournemouth,” he said.

BH Live, which is also responsible for Bournemouth’s council-owned leisure centres, has been trying out fitness events for visitors to the BIC and Pavilion.

“One of our main drives is to get more people active. That goes across all our venues,” said Mr Turner.