The sixth annual Hosts Global Forum has brought over 200 of the world’s leading destination management companies and meetings and incentive buyers to the city, marking the first time the event has come to Europe.
Held in New Orleans last year, the forum is an exclusive, invitation-only global MICE event (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions), whose invited buyers account for approximately $2 billion in business tourism revenue worldwide.
The event focuses on educational sessions, on-trend industry discussions, networking events and memorable destination-specific activities.
Delegates also experience a full programme of events and a wide range of tourism activities in the host destination, providing Northern Ireland with a major opportunity to showcase its offering to a range of buyers with global influence.
The three-day forum is being delivered through a public and private sector partnership involving Hosts Global, Tourism NI, Hastings Hotels and destination management company Moloney & Kelly.
A further supporting act of Northern Ireland trade and organisations such as Belfast City Council, Belfast Waterfront, Titanic Belfast, The Merchant Hotel, Galgorm Resort & Spa, Fitzwilliam Hotel, Hillsborough Castle and National Museums NI are also participating. An extra “Stay and Play” day will see delegates discover the Causeway Coastal Route and Game of Thrones ® territory in County Down.
Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen said: “Together with our partners we have put significant work into bringing this major conference to Northern Ireland and we are confident the destination will go that extra mile to welcome and interest the attendees.
“Our key message is that Northern Ireland can offer a range of exceptional travel experiences suitable for the meetings & incentive market and that we are more than ready to do business. With 2017 being a record year for our tourism industry and Lonely Planet naming Belfast and the Causeway Coast the top region in the world to visit in 2018, the timing of the event couldn’t be better.”
Hosts Global acts as a strategic partner for meeting and event planners in over 300 destinations and is a major player in the global hospitality industry.
Its Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Patino, said: “Hosts Global is always looking for that ‘extra something special’ ‘H Factor’ experience, and after seeing all that Belfast had to offer as a meeting and incentive destination, we knew it was the best choice for our 2018 Forum. We can’t wait to hear about the industry experts’ experiences during our Global Forum in this exciting destination.”
The event runs for three days until June 24.
