A warm 'Belfast Welcome' to ICCA UK & Ireland

ICC Belfast hosts ICCA UK & Ireland Annual Chapter Meeting

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) UK & Ireland Chapter hosted its annual meeting at ICC Belfast last week. Taking place from Thursday 22 February to Friday 23 February 2024, it was the first time since 2018 that the annual meeting had been hosted in Belfast and was an opportunity to highlight the city as a business tourism destination amongst key decision makers in events and conferencing.

Almost 150 event professionals, the highest number of people ever to attend the event, arrived in Belfast for the three-day Resilience and Competing for Change programme and explored how the industry can better align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Patrick Delaney, a leading voice in the events industry for over 30 years, was selected to facilitate the event.

Chair of ICCA UK & Ireland Chapter, Suzanne Singleton, said, “As our delegate numbers show, this event is one of our most important events of the year. ICC Belfast provided a state-of-the-art venue that served the needs of our diverse programme and aligned to the values of our event by prioritising sustainability, accessibility and diversity. Belfast proved to be an excellent location and with the support of Visit Belfast and ICC Belfast, we showcased to our delegates the impact and legacy that our industry can have on cities. 

Our hosts also provided access to insightful, local speakers to enhance our dynamic programme, as well as interesting excursions and welcoming hospitality to build out the event experience for our delegates. Our members have had the opportunity to experience Belfast’s capabilities as a first-class city for business events.

Whilst the event united the ICCA UK & Ireland Chapter, it also provided the opportunity to reflect on the importance of business tourism in Northern Ireland. The industry is expected to deliver an estimated £209 million in direct economic impact and is forecast to generate up to 2,000 new jobs by 2030.

Continuing to showcase the city is crucial in achieving this growth, as Sarah Iluyemi, Senior Business Development Manager at Visit Belfast explains, "By attracting conferences and events to Belfast, we not only boost our thriving tourism and hospitality industry, but also make significant contributions to the development of our knowledge economy and continue to showcase the city and Northern Ireland as an outstanding place for leisure, work, business, and investment.

Belfast was recently awarded the title of world's best conference destination for a third year by Conference & Incentive Travel. As the decision to host this important event here shows, Belfast now holds a record-breaking position and has major international draw for business delegates and event organisers.

ICC Belfast is Belfast’s only purpose-built international convention centre and supports the city’s potential to compete globally for business events. Its contribution is crucial as business events continue to act as a catalyst to drive the region’s economy.

Its Chief Executive, Julia Corkey, provided a keynote address at the event on the importance of diversity and inclusion across the sector. She highlighted that SistersIN - a female leadership programme for sixth form pupils of which ICC Belfast is a Foundation Partner – will take place at ICC Belfast in March.

Julia said, "Whilst the economic impact of business events cannot be underestimated, it’s also important to note that responsible business tourism leaves behind a social legacy in the city or region. Our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, and sustainability, continues to be central to our business. The timing of this ICCA UK & Ireland Charter event is important as the industry collectively aims to address the need for solutions across these specific areas.

Welcoming people from all over the world to Belfast is a privilege, and we are all motivated to continue to make great things happen right here at ICC Belfast, across the city and across Northern Ireland, today, tomorrow and beyond.

For more information visit iccaworld.org