Business tourism helps put Belfast on the map
Dr Howard Hastings, chair of Visit Belfast, says that the agency has generated £92m for the local economy from its combined marketing and sales activity in the last year.
At its annual partner update event recently, Visit Belfast confirmed that in 2015/16 it had won 70 conferences, delivered 11 city break campaigns in Europe and Great Britain, secured 78 cruise ships with Belfast Harbour and handled more than 650,000 tourism enquiries – contributing a combined £92m to the Belfast economy.
Describing the last 12 months as “an excellent year” for the city and for Visit Belfast, said that the return on investment in the ration of 26:1 which, he said, indicated that the public private partnership was an “effective, efficient and industry-focused” organisation.
At the industry event, key tourism stakeholders, partners and funders gathered to hear Visit Belfast’s operational plans for 2016/17, as well as a strategic vision for 2016-20.
Presenting the plans for 2016/17, Gerry Lennon, chief executive of Visit Belfast, said that growth would be achieved across both the business and leisure tourism areas, with the organisation aiming to deliver 332,000 bed nights, as well as welcoming 145,000 cruise passengers to the city. The city will also continue to grow its conference business, aiming to deliver £47m in economic benefit from conference wins in 2016/17 alone. Visitor servicing is another key area in delivering an enhanced visitor experience, with Visit Belfast aiming to handle 675,000 tourist enquiries in the coming year.
“Tourism has become a crucial part of the city economy and has been integral in seeing Belfast flourish in recent years,” added Gerry. “In 2015, the number of bed nights spent in our hotels broke the 1m room mark and tourism now generates in the region of £465m per annum.
“The growing numbers of visitors to Belfast has increased confidence in tourism investment, helping to drive over £1bn worth of infrastructure investment across the city, from new hotel development and world class visitor attractions, to an increasing number of inbound air access opportunities – all of which is improving the social fabric of the city.”
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, pointed out that Belfast was ow recognised as a leading leisure and business destination:
“We will continue to work closely with Visit Belfast to ensure even more leisure and business travellers put Belfast on their ‘wish-list’ for 2016 and beyond,” he added. “Capitalising on improved air access from overseas and new developments like the newly extended Belfast Waterfront.”
Our picture shows (from left), Donal Durkin of Belfast City Council with Gerry Lennon and Howard Hastings as they mark business tourism’s contribution to the local economy.
