Excel has recorded one of its busiest ever periods since hosting the 2012 London Olympic & Paralympic Games, after it welcomed almost 250,000 visitors through its doors inside a week.  

The Royal Docks venue, which attracts around four million visitors a year, recorded more than twice its average weekly audience during a seven-day period from 19-26 April. 

Excel hosted a total of 10 events during the week including the TCS London Marathon Running Show, the AWS Summit London, the Retail Technology Show and immersive experience Cleopatra.  

Using venue data, the footfall was on a par to when Excel hosts flagship events such as the World Travel Market or MCM Comic Con. Its all-time record, however, still remains during the 2012 London Olympic Games when it staged 13 Olympic and Paralympic competitions welcoming 140,000 visitors a day.  

Commenting on the achievement, Excel’s Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Rees said: “To experience these levels of visitor numbers, despite four days of TfL strike action, is incredible and a testament to not only London’s thriving event industry but Excel’s robust connectivity. Our mission is to become the best event destination in the world and periods like this put us well on the way to achieving this.” 

Of the 250,000 figure, an estimated 25% of visitors had travelled from overseas, giving yet a further boost to London’s business tourism economy. 

The figures also echo the findings of a recent Events Industry Alliance report (Size and Scale Index for Exhibitions) which showed that the UK exhibitions sector reached its highest level in a decade last year and was worth an estimated £68.7 billion to the national economy in 2025. 

Excel alone already contributes some £4.6 billion to London’s business tourism economy, as well as being responsible – both directly and indirectly – for 37,500 jobs. 

Rees added: “As London’s live events sector continues to grow, the past week offered a clear message: demand is strong, audiences are back, and the capital remains unmatched as a place where people come together to do business, celebrate culture and experience something live.” 

In addition, the news comes at a pivotal moment for Excel as it embarks on a further multi-million-pound investment programme to enhance its digital infrastructure, wayfinding, food and beverage and the overall visitor experience – strengthening Excel’s partnership with organisers and providing the scale, flexibility and support needed to deliver exceptional events at every stage of growth.