Over 300 tourism industry professionals from across the UK are due to come to Belfast for a two day conference on 20 and 21 September which will include tour operators and trade buyers responsible for bringing many international visitors to the UK from valuable overseas markets such as the USA, China and the Middle East.
The annual conference, organised by trade association UKinbound in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland and supported by Tourism Ireland and Visit Belfast will see delegates from across the UK, Northern Ireland and Belfast (that work in the UK’s inbound tourism industry) hear from keynote speakers, take part in workshops and attend a topical industry debate, an evening networking dinner and an industry award ceremony. A range of familiarisation trips have also been organised for delegates after the conference that include a walking tour around Belfast, visits to The Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Inn, Titanic Distillers and Titanic Belfast, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, The Game of Thrones Exhibition and the new Visitor Information Centre in Derry.
Joss Croft OBE, CEO of UKinbound comments:
“Our Annual Convention is a highlight for many of our members and we have the largest number of delegates ever due to attend the event this week which demonstrates both how popular Belfast and Northern Ireland are amongst our members and their confidence levels about future bookings and revenue.
“Our event really enables the UK travel trade to experience a destination and its tourism offer in depth which in turn enables these businesses to sell the destination more effectively to their clients from all over the world. With inbound tourism bringing in an estimated £500 million to Northern Ireland before the pandemic and international visitors spending around three times more than domestic visitors – we are very confident that our Convention will help to turbo charge the recovery of the visitor economy in Belfast and Northern Ireland. We are very grateful to Tourism Northern Ireland, Visit Belfast and Tourism Ireland who have worked very hard with us to secure and organise the Convention and are looking forward to an exciting few days!”
John McGrillen, the CEO of Tourism Northern Ireland comments:
“Tourism NI is delighted to welcome UKinbound to Belfast for its Annual Convention, a fantastic vote of confidence in Northern Ireland as a setting for international business events. We are very proud of the product portfolio on offer visitors to Northern Ireland. There are experiences to suit all tastes, whether you’re looking for a relaxing break in tranquil countryside, or the spectacular mountain and coastal scenery that inspired not just our literary giants but iconic scenes from some of the world’s best film and TV such as Game of Thrones and Derry Girls. Our accommodation portfolio also continues to expand, with the opening of Belfast’s first ever aparthotel next month and the recent opening of the Ebrington Hotel bringing a spectacular new accommodation offering to the heart of Derry-Londonderry.
“The presence of so many suppliers, business operators and buyers here will provide us with the opportunity to showcase the very best of our visitor product and receive valuable knowledge and insights from the operators”.
