Welcome to Northern Ireland, home of Belfast which has been named the Best Events Destination at the 2021 Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT) Magazine awards.
The efforts made here to create an exceptional experience for delegates at meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) has seen us achieve this award in both 2018 and 2019 too.
As a destination we motivate and inspire attendees, create lasting memories and provide an authentic opportunity to connect with the destination and its people. Incentive and conference groups are visiting and thoroughly enjoying a destination that may be considered small geographically, but comes with a giant heart. History tells of a tumultuous past, but today we have a very different story to tell. A story of a destination welcoming visitors in record numbers and with open arms that encourage people to explore its every corner and connect with its truly transformational culture. It is little wonder that Lonely Planet named Belfast and The Causeway Coast as a ‘best region in the world’ to visit in 2018.
When seeking out destinations for MICE programmes, logistics is always top of mind. So how does a group access Northern Ireland? From a North American perspective, access is predominantly via Dublin International Airport; a 90 minute transfer takes you from Dublin International Airport to Northern Ireland’s capital city, Belfast. The transfer from Dublin International Airport to Northern Ireland provides multiple MICE experience opportunities to enjoy en-route and it’s recommended to make the transfer a positive part of any MICE programme. Good to note that there are also 45 scheduled coach transfers per day between Dublin airport and Belfast for any attendees travelling independently. Interestingly, Belfast itself has two airports. Utilising George Best Belfast City Airport, situated 5km outside Belfast city, the opportunity exists to arrive directly into Belfast via Amsterdam and Heathrow, two of Europe’s main airport hubs. Belfast International Airport , 21km outside Belfast city and the second largest gateway on the island of Ireland, is home to a range of established airlines operating an extensive flight network.
What Awaits
In many respects, Northern Ireland can be seen as a new and emerging destination within the incentive travel industry, and the desire of its people to put Northern Ireland on the incentive travel map is palpable; fuelled by characters full of passion, professionalism and perseverance. Those insiders who have already operated incentive travel programmes in Northern Ireland have experienced an exceptional destination, witnessing first-hand how Northern Ireland is #IncentiveReady. So, what awaits the MICE visitor?
Download our Incentive Ready brochure.
