Business First January 2017 2017 volume 13 | Page 44

BUSINESS FIRST NORTHERN IRELAND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2017

Belfast is ready to welcome more business events

T

he upsurge in hotels , attractions and flight routes has undeniably boosted Belfast ’ s appeal as the perfect destination for business travellers .
However it ’ s the opening of the region ’ s new 7,000m 2 conference facility at Belfast Waterfront in April 2016 that has enabled the city to welcome a wider range of events , as well as compete at the highest level for international conferences .
In its opening year , Belfast Waterfront secured 24 major conferences , generating £ 19.6m for the local economy and with an ever­growing business tourism offering , Northern Ireland ’ s capital city can expect to welcome many more events in 2017 .
Access and location
When it comes to choosing a destination for any event , access , location and capacity of conference facilities are key to shaping the decision­making .
There ’ s no denying more direct flights into the city facilitate more events , however the existing network of UK and international flight routes and fundamentally Belfast Waterfront ’ s proximity to the regions airports have been key to creating a positive experience for business travellers . Dr Thomas Kauffels , the chair of European Association of Zoos and Aquariums ( EAZA ) explains : “ Belfast Waterfront ’ s city centre location and convenience to the region ’ s two airports have proven extremely beneficial to our international delegates – members can fly in and go straight to a meeting , hassle free .”
The city ’ s offering continues to grow and appeal to many delegates . In 2016 Northern Ireland ’ s Year of Food and Drink showcased the city ' s rich culinary scene , which was fully appreciated by visiting conferences . Mike Kimmons , Chief Executive of British Orthopaedic Association congratulated the city on its first class cuisine : “ In the evenings they ( members ) naturally took full advantage of Belfast ' s high quality hospitality offering and its remarkable diversity of culinary excellence .”
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And of course Belfast ’ s legendary hospitality hasn ’ t gone unnoticed . Bhavnita Patel , General Manager at the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland comments : “ 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 .”
Capacity
Doubling the event space at Belfast Waterfront has been a real game changer for the local business tourism market . Prior to the expansion , limited clear span space and breakout areas meant many organisations could no longer consider Belfast as a host destination . Brian McCrory , President of the Irish League of Credit Unions and host of the 2016 World Credit Union Conference commented : “… I have lobbied for 7 years to bring our annual conference to Belfast , subject to the opening of the new extension at Belfast Waterfront . The opening of a 7,000m 2 conference facility , made Belfast a serious contender as a host destination .”
Global status
Thanks to Northern Ireland ’ s leading position in many industry sectors , along with the venue ’ s recent investment in its own technology infrastructure , Belfast Waterfront will continue to welcome a wider array of events from across many industries .
As Europe ’ s leading destination city for new software development projects , earlier this year , Kainos , one of Northern Ireland ' s largest high­tech companies , held its first annual meeting in the new conference facility . Jimmy Hiles , Strategic Planning Manager at Kainos explains why Belfast Waterfront was the perfect choice for the biggest event in their calendar : “… The large scale and quality on offer is easily big enough to accommodate our continued growth , with versatile conference spaces that can be configured as needed .
As a leading software company , technology is obviously very important to us , so we were delighted with the top spec AV equipment available to us at the venue . Above all the staff at the Waterfront are extremely professional , proactive and great to work with . We ’ ll definitely be returning to Belfast Waterfront in the future .”
Also with the Financial Times declaring Northern Ireland as the number one destination for international cyber security investment in 2016 , Belfast Waterfront will stage the OWASP AppSec EU conference in May 2017 ­ one of the largest software security conferences in Europe .
Local ambassadors
As a prominent university city and home to world leading research centres , the influence of local ambassadors will continue to play a role in securing future events . Dr Sinclair Mayne , the local Visit Belfast Ambassador and Chair of British Society of Animal Science Organising Committee ( BSAS ), was the mastermind behind bringing the 67th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science ( EAAP ) to the city . Over 1,500 delegates from almost 60 countries attended the event generating around £ 2.7m for the local economy .
With all the key elements in place ­ and a citywide commitment to making sure each business visitor experiences everything that makes the city legendary ­ Belfast is ready to welcome more business events .
MOREINFORMATION
We ’ re ready to welcome you If you ’ re thinking about bringing an event to the city , contact the Belfast Waterfront team today to find out how they can help you :
T : + 44 ( 0 ) 28 9033 4400 E : conference @ waterfront . co . uk W : waterfront . co . uk @ BelWaterfront / # BelfastWaterfront .