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security giants , but has positioned itself as an important hub for international firms to plant their roots within .
Key events
• CYBERUK 2023
AstraZeneca – case study of a showstopper In 2020 , AstraZeneca brought their ‘ A New Perspective ’ conference to ICC Belfast . In terms of positive feedback , you couldn ’ t hope for much better than the words shared in the wake of this event .
HR director Verity Ross gave the following comment : “ The event in Belfast has been perfectly planned and executed . It has been exceptional and the feedback from our employees has been that this is one of our best , if not our best event that we have had at AstraZeneca as a company .”
Over five days , the pharma giant brought 600 international delegates to Belfast . Spending at hotels , shops and restaurants generated $ 1.7m for the local economy .
Harkin Summit In 2022 , Belfast proved its pedigree yet again . The Harkin International Disability Employment Summit came to
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ICC Belfast on 7-8 June . Project lead for the summit Sean Fitzsimons offered the highest praise for the event : “ This for me is the number one place on the island if you want to have a world-class and global conference .
“ For a summit of this scale with so many disabled people , the accessibility features of this building have been a massive selling point and the attitudes of staff have been phenomenal .”
He continued : “ I would have no reservations in recommending ICC Belfast to any other event organisers , the level of support and attention to detail we have seen with this venue and the team working within it has been truly phenomenal .”
Of course , Northern Ireland extends far beyond Belfast . Londonderry ( Derry ) is one of the oldest continually inhabited places in Ireland , with venues including The Millennium Forum – the city ’ s largest conference centre , with a 1,000-capacity ( seated ) theatre and the largest stage in Ireland .
Another major venue in Northern Ireland is Galgorm Resort in the coastal county of Antrim , 30 minutes ’ drive from Belfast .
Spread over 163 acres of parkland beside the River Maine , Galgorm offers
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Left : One Young
World Belfast
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eight event suites , cottages and the largest thermal spa in Europe .
The resort hosted the World Luxury Awards 2024 on 19 October , welcoming 200 international hospitality VIPs with a wellness pop-up activation in its thermal spa post-event . Galgorm Resort also welcomed LyondellBasell Industries for its Global Board Meeting and Diageo for the Guinness Directors Global Annual General Meeting .
Group sales manager Beth Greenan tells CMW : “ The Resort tends to attract events that are multifaceted — looking for a choice of accommodation , dining options and activities .
“ Many areas have the ability to be zoned or privatised , which makes us ideally suited to incentive clients . We are attracting incentive programmes and senior management team meetings from around the world .
“ With Galgorm being so centrally located it is the perfect base to explore all the region has to offer — city , coast and all in between .”
There are plans to develop the entire region of Northern Ireland into a specialised economy . Former economy minister for Northern Ireland Diane Dodds has said : “ My ambition is to transform Northern Ireland into one of the world ’ s elite small open economies … I want to harness trade and investment as a catalyst for inclusive , green growth in Northern Ireland to support our economic transformation over the next decade .”
For conference and event organisers , Belfast and Northern Ireland offer the combination of a close-knit , family-like events team and ecosystem with fast-growing tech industries .
When viewed alongside Northern Ireland ’ s spectacular coast , lush countryside and array of castles , we predict the phrase , ‘ We ’ re meeting in Northern Ireland ’ will become increasingly commonly spoken in future years to come . n
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