AS the eyes of the world prepare to focus on York for Royal Ascot in June, York Tourism Bureau's Sarah Madden is to launch its 2005 Conference Guide on Tuesday.

The setting will be the two-day annual Confex exhibition in London, where the Bureau will also publicise its new Ascot Corporate Hospitality pages on its website, www.visityork.org/royalascot

Behind her is York's Mansion House, home to the Lord Mayor of York, which for the first time is actively promoting itself for corporate hospitality.

Confex is expected to attract to London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre more than 8,000 event organisers looking to source venues for upcoming conferences and meetings.

The new guide features more than 40 of York's best venues which range from the Innovation Centre at York Science Park to the Georgian grandeur of The Mansion House to the charms of the Castle Museum complete with its own Victorian street.

Sarah, the bureau's conference and sales executive, said: "This is a huge year for corporate entertaining in York, and we are thrilled to be in the spotlight."

Updated: 11:34 Friday, February 11, 2005