Tracy Halliwell MBE has stepped down from her role as director of tourism and events at London & Partners after two decades leading the UK capital’s work to attract tourism and business events.
Halliwell announced her departure on LinkedIn, describing it as an “unexpected but amazing opportunity” to step down following what she described as a “mini restructure”.
Her departure comes less than three months after London & Partners confirmed that it was reducing activity and changing team structures and roles as it sought to make savings following changes to its funding and delivery requirements.
Halliwell, who was awarded an MBE for services to business tourism in 2014, said the London & Partners team responsible for the capital's events activity remained in place.
“For those I haven’t spoken to, I decided to take an unexpected but amazing opportunity to step down from my role following a mini restructure, but all the team are still in place, so anything you need from London the gang’s all there,” she wrote.
She thanked colleagues, clients and industry partners for their support during her time with the organisation, adding that she intended to remain a champion of the capital.
“Keep flying the flag, and I’ll remain as one of your greatest Ambassadors,” she said.
Halliwell joined London & Partners after almost 20 years in senior sales and marketing positions across the tourism and hospitality sector. She subsequently became one of the most prominent figures in the UK business events industry, heading the London Convention Bureau and working with international clients, venues and industry partners to promote the capital as a destination for major events.
Her departure comes at a significant point for London’s business events sector. In June, London & Partners said it needed to make savings across the organisation, including “some reductions to activity and changes to team structures and roles”.
The agency said its priority would be to protect areas considered most important to London’s long-term growth, its partners and its future sustainability.
The organisation also said it was continuing to invest in technology transformation to improve efficiency and impact.
The changes followed the launch of a new three-year strategy in autumn 2025. London & Partners is primarily funded by the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority, alongside income from partners and commercial ventures.
Despite the financial pressures, London’s business events performance remains strong.
London was named Europe’s top meeting destination by Cvent for the fourth consecutive year in 2026. London & Partners said the bureau was expecting to welcome close to 80,000 delegates to the capital during the year, while the bureau continues to work to attract international conferences to London.
Halliwell has not announced her next move, although her LinkedIn post suggested she hopes to take on advisory or consultancy work in the future. “For those I haven’t spoken to… hopefully we’ll work together in other capacities for years to come,” she wrote.
Her departure marks the end of one of the longest-running senior leadership roles in London’s business events sector, at a time when the capital is simultaneously celebrating strong international demand and navigating a period of restructuring and reduced public funding.
