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now ranked 19th across 73 destinations globally for sustainability .
Visit Belfast itself has now established a sustainability team across the company , developed a training programme for Board members and staff as well as a sustainability action plan to drive sustainability performance improvement across all elements of its operations .
The business tourism team now has a dedicated sustainability and impact manager who is responsible for working on social , environmental and economic initiatives to align with the sustainable development goals ( SDGs ) that are important to event organisers . The team have worked up an events framework , toolkit and resources that allow organisers to choose the goals that are most important to them , with Visit Belfast then stepping up to assist on delivery . Their goal is that 30 % of all inbound business events will have sustainability , legacy and impact plans in place for 2022 – with the aim of increasing this to 80 % by 2025 .
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During 2021 Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council launched , what they believe to be , the largest ever Green Tourism partnership with a city . The ongoing aim is to support the wider industry improve sustainability credentials with an independent certification , accelerate its sustainability journey and adopt a more regenerative model for tourism and events in Belfast . ICC Belfast recently became the first Green Meetings certified venue on the island of Ireland and almost 90 % of hotel bedrooms in Belfast are due to be certified by the end of this year .
To achieve their wider ranging sustainability goals , Visit Belfast set about creating a local sustainable network of organisations , initiatives and projects to help event organisers deliver more regenerative events in Belfast , something that is increasingly required across the industry . The intention is also to increase the handprint and reduce the footprint of tourism through social , environmental and economic initiatives that enhance the event experience and leave a
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“ Conferences and meetings have stimulated innovation , created international partnerships and supported our growing knowledge economy – so we passionately believe in the power of tourism and events as a force for good ” |
positive impact on the local community and local stakeholders .
For Rachael McGuickin , director of business development , sustainability and transformation at Visit Belfast , tourism and events are a force for good . “ Twenty years of tourism growth has welcomed millions of visitors and been a catalyst for the regeneration of Belfast ,” she said . “ It has established hundreds of businesses for our economy , thousands of jobs for our residents and created opportunities for our communities and neighbourhoods .
“ Conferences and meetings have stimulated innovation , created international partnerships and supported our growing knowledge economy – so we passionately believe in the power of tourism and events as a force for good . By accelerating our action on sustainability and working together with our clients and partners , we can help rebuild our industry and deliver better , more sustainable and inclusive events for our clients , delegates and communities .” CN
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