Belfast- A rising star amongst business tourism destinations
Whilst over 60 per cent of centres across the world are planning extensions to accommodate larger events, back home Belfast is one step ahead with the opening of Belfast Waterfront’s fantastic new facilities.
Belfast: The next chapter in becoming a leading business destination
Northern Ireland’s capital city is going from strength to strength as a hotspot for business travellers. A major piece of the city’s transformation slotted into place in April with the opening of Belfast Waterfront’s newly extended conference centre. With new attractions, hotels, flight routes and now a 7,000m2 conference facility, the next chapter in Belfast’s journey to becoming a leading business tourism destination promises to be a real page-turner.
New world-class conference centre
Doubling its event space to 7,000m2 has already attracted new events as well as facilitated the return of many, especially organisations which had previously outgrown the existing facilities. The addition of two multipurpose halls, together measuring over 2,500m2, up to six additional meeting rooms, and a stunning 660m2 riverside foyer has helped deliver an even wider range of events.
The benefits of the £29.5 million investment programme funded by Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund, under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland, administered by Tourism Northern Ireland, goes beyond delivering double the event space. Fitted to the highest specification and with a new innovative catering approach, Belfast Waterfront can now deliver a brand new event experience for up to 5,000 delegates.
The Belfast Waterfront team, together with catering partner Amadeus, promise to deliver a top notch service in every aspect of delivery, from delicious food and wine to a high-tech, state of the art audio visual specification.
Already regarded as one of the world’s best convention centres, the new facility has received rave reviews since its re-opening.
On Wednesday 4 May over 900 guests including Irish rugby legend and guest speaker Paul O’Connell attended the Northern Ireland Chamber Champions Dinner 2016 at the venue. Richard Willis, Business Services Manager at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry commented: “Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Having this state-of-the-art facility in the city has given us the ability to deliver a truly spectacular and memorable evening for our members, and the largest event staged by the Chamber in its 233-year history.”
The invaluable addition of Belfast Waterfront’s new conference centre to the city landscape has and will continue to bring new opportunities. However, it is the Belfast citywide approach that helps create and deliver a strong competitive advantage.
A city at your service
Team Belfast comprising of Tourism Northern Ireland, Visit Belfast and Belfast Waterfront has its eyes firmly on the prize of becoming a leading business tourism destination.
Key to achieving this goal is its one city, one team strategy. Behind the scenes, key service providers are working hand in hand to create a unique and memorable experience across the city. From taxi drivers to bartenders, all are briefed and ready to give the famous Belfast welcome.
The Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) hailed Belfast as the friendliest host city at its annual International Surgical Congress held in the newly extended Belfast Waterfront in May this year.
Bhavnita Patel, General Manager at ASGBI thanked the city for its warm reception: “The city has been extremely helpful and welcoming. I have been organising events for 13 years, and I found Belfast to be the friendliest host city. There is a real buzz – everyone knew about our conference and joined in to ensure that we, and our members, had a truly memorable experience.”
To top this, Team Belfast celebrated a bumper year for business wins. Visit Belfast recently announced that during the 2015/2016 financial year, conference wins for the city will generate a record-breaking £45 million worth of economic benefit over the coming years.
There is no denying, Belfast is a rising star amongst business tourism destinations. With the city working as one and further investment, along with a world class conference centre as part of its offering, Belfast is ready to welcome many more prestigous events.
To book your next event or find out more about Belfast Waterfront’s new facilities, contact the team on 028 9033 4400 or email conference@waterfront.co.uk
W: waterfront.co.uk
@BelWaterfront #BelfastWaterfront
