“Evolve or die”: lessons well learned by Belfast and Northern Ireland

Once torn apart by political turmoil and conflict, Belfast has undergone a remarkable regeneration in recent times, with main stakeholders in the city working together as one team. Nowadays, Northern Ireland’s capital has gained its well-deserved position as a competitive major player in the meetings industry, becoming Europe’s trendiest destination for business travel.

Jesús Guerrero Chacón reports

On 16 March 2017, Headquarters was invited to join the showcase event ‘Evolve or Die’ organised by Belfast Waterfront in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland. After my visit, I believe one thing is sure: they both know how to successfully evolve!

Impressed by such a compelling title, I couldn’t wait to visit Belfast when I received the invitation to attend the event. After all the changes our company Meeting Media and our publication Headquarters have undergone in the last few months, I was more than ready to join this one-day conference.  The thought-provoking keynote speakers shared great insights on how to find solutions driving innovation and growth for businesses in a session by Dr. Deep Parekh and Polo Looser from Asteroidea AG; and how to tackle the digital revolution in the session ‘The Digital Transformation of the Events Industry’ by Mary Ann Pierce, founder of MAP digital: MetaMeetings^TM.

Over 100 delegates had the opportunity to learn more about the latest trends in the industry at Belfast Waterfront. Having completed its state-of-the-art £29.5 million extension in 2016, the venue offers greater flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing needs of event planners and accommodate all kinds of meetings, from small groups to larger events for 2,000+ delegates. The Waterfront’s delicious cuisine is supplied by Amadeus, the venue’s award-winning catering partner. During the afternoon programme, event planners and members of international trade press were also given the opportunity to experience what the city had to offer in terms of venues, rich culture and unique attractions, such as touring Belfast's political and historical sites from a black taxi or discovering the greatest Titanic experience. Named the world’s best tourist attraction in 2016, Titanic Belfast can also be privatised and offer conference space with stunning views for up to 1,500 delegates.

Known to the world as the ‘most bombed hotel in Europe and the world’, the historic Europa Hotel, part of the Hastings Hotels group, was once the headquarters of the international media covering the Northern Ireland conflict during the late 20^th century. Located in the heart of Belfast City Centre, the Europa Hotel is still nowadays the first hotel of choice for business travellers, celebrities and VIPs with its offering of 272 hotel rooms. But that’s not all; the Hastings Hotels group is currently adding 300 hotel rooms within walking distance to the Waterfront and Ulster Hall.

The future of Belfast and Northern Ireland is definitely being built today with many developments and business events coming to the region. The 12^th Routes Europe will take place from 23-25 April 2017 at Belfast Waterfront and over 1,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference, including the leading airlines, airports and main stakeholders in the industry. This conference will give Northern Ireland the opportunity to empower the development of new flight routes.

Catherine Toolan, Managing Director of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Ltd, commented “We have invested heavily in enhancing the attractiveness of our tourism infrastructure and today Belfast offers a unique and compelling proposition for event planners across the globe. And without a doubt, our new 7,000m2 state-of-the-art conference facility at Belfast Waterfront has proven to be the city's greatest asset, hosting over 340 events including 34 national and international conferences in our opening year. ”

For more information visit www.waterfront.co.uk or follow Belfast Waterfront @BelWaterfront