Sustainable Destination
Belfast is recognised by the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) as a city committed to sustainable development and growth.
Top UK sustainable location
Belfast’s drive to put sustainability at the forefront of tourism growth and development has secured the city 9th place amongst 100 international destinations in this year’s Global Destination Sustainability Index.
Through the collaborative efforts of Visit Belfast, Belfast City Council and a wide range of tourism industry partners, Belfast now ranks as the most sustainable visitor destination in the UK and on the island of Ireland, according to the GDS-Index, the leading destination-level performance measurement and benchmarking tool.
The GDS index is a third-party evaluation of the destination’s environmental, social, supplier and destination management performance across 77 indicators assessing policies and infrastructure, destination management and sustainability performance amongst the tourism supply-chain. It expanded the criteria this year to include regenerative tourism, circular economy practices and enhanced climate action.
CHANGING THE MENU. FOR GOOD.
Visit Belfast fended off global competition to take home the 2022 GDS-Movement’s Innovation Award for its pioneering social impact project Changing the Menu. For Good. beating a shortlist of five destinations that included the Faroe Islands, Helsingborg in Sweden, Valencia in Spain and Washington DC.
Spearheaded by Visit Belfast, the initiative that launched earlier this year, enlisted the help and support of the city’s venues, caterers, and event organisers to help tackle food poverty by directly raising funds and supplies for local food banks and charities. ICC Belfast is a founding partner.
Convenient city centre location
Located in the heart of the city centre, ICC Belfast is accessible on foot, by public transport or car, making your journey here quick and seamless.
Public transport links
ICC Belfast is in a prime location for visitors arriving by bus. The two city centre bus stations are a short walk from the venue and there is a Translink Glider stop right outside. The Aircoach bus service connects Belfast with Dublin Airport and Dublin City Centre, operating over 10 daily routes. An hourly train service between Belfast and Dublin is also available from Grand Central Station with fifteen services operating in each direction daily.
Proximity to airports
With George Best Belfast City Airport just an eight-minute drive from our venue, Belfast International Airport just a 30 minute drive and Dublin Airport 90 minutes away, ICC Belfast is a short transfer time for delegates arriving via regional or international routes.
Availability of bike racks and electric vehicle charging stations
Bike racks are available around the venue with electric vehicle charging stations nearby. Find electric car charge points in Belfast by visiting www.chargefinder.com/belfast
Frank and Honest Belfast Bikes
The Frank and Honest Belfast Bikes scheme is an exciting way to link up the city. There are over 50 docking stations located throughout the city centre with the nearest station to ICC Belfast only 100 yrds from our Cityside Concourse entrance.
75% of hotel bedrooms meet sustainability standards
Following a ground breaking partnership led by Visit Belfast, Belfast City Council and Green Tourism in 2021, hoteliers across Belfast are ramping up their green credentials at a record rate. Seventy five percent of the city region’s 4,800 hotel rooms are now officially accredited by Green Tourism, the global body which promotes sustainable and environmental standards across the sector.
The Green Tourism Standard recognises an organisation that works responsibly, ethically and sustainably, contributes to their community, is reducing their impact on the environment and aims to be accessible and inclusive to all visitors and staff. Now, 75 percent, or around 3,570 of all Belfast hotel bedrooms, are sustainability certified.
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