Belfast Is The 'Best For Events'

Belfast has been named the 'Best Events Destination' at a global awards ceremony for the second year running.

The accolade follows 112 conference wins for the city's tourism agency Visit Belfast.

The Conference & Incentive Travel Magazine (C&IT) Awards recognise the best of the Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events (MICE) industry around the world.

In a successful year for the city, Belfast climbed 50 places in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) global rankings and hosted several prestigious MICE industry events, bringing over 700 international buyers to experience the destination first-hand.

Team Belfast are celebrating the award after various projects to increase the city's attraction, including the addition of over 1,000 hotel rooms, a £29m extension to the ICC and a growing number of event venues and tourism products. A strong contender for international events, Belfast boasts over 500 direct flights from the UK each week and has fairly established itself as a destination of distinction.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor John Finucane said the award is testament to Belfast's growing reputation as a leading contender when it comes to hosting events.

"There is no doubt that we punch above our weight when it comes to the calibre of the national and international events Belfast has proven itself capable of hosting, and that is something which is reflected by the industry," Cllr Finucane said.

"Council has supported and invested in the city's tourism infrastructure, but this award belongs to the whole city, and is something we should all be proud of."

Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of Visit Belfast also commented, saying: "The C&IT awards are highly regarded within the global events industry, with winners coming from all over the world, so for Belfast to win the Best Events Destination title twice in two years really shows how the city has solidified its place on the world stage.

"This is a Team Belfast award and reflects successful partnership working across so many city stakeholders – from Belfast City Council and Tourism Northern Ireland investing in product development and sales and marketing; to hoteliers investing in hotel stock; to local events industry and tourism providers, developing and delivering unique and interesting visitor experiences."



(JG/CM)