ICC Belfast targets long term economic impact as microbiology conference leads way back

ICC Belfast, Northern Ireland has welcomed the return of conferences and business events, anticipating a large economic impact for the region. The International Convention Centre (ICC) Belfast recently welcomed the Microbiology Society Conference as its first in-person conference since its last visit to Belfast in 2019. From the 4-7 April, the conference is expected to welcome over 1,000 delegates. The conference will host a range of events presented by global leaders in the field and social gatherings organised throughout Belfast. Commenting on the conference, Dr Peter Cotgreave, chief executive of the Microbiology Society, said: “Following the spotlight that has been thrown on microbiology by the pandemic, it’s wonderful to be back in Belfast for our Annual Conference, which will enable new collaborations and the development of research which has the power to change lives.” Economic impact Following the Microbiology Society Conference, the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language Conference will take place in May, and the Intensive Care Society State of the Art Congress will take place in June. Together, these three events will deliver an estimated economic impact of over £5m (US$6.5m). The Microbiology Society Conference has been supported by the Belfast and Northern Ireland Conference Support Scheme. The scheme, funded by Belfast City Council and Tourism NI and administered by Visit Belfast, aims to provide support for eligible associations to host conferences and meetings in Belfast and Northern Ireland. It also aims to further enhance the profile of the region as a business events destination. Furthermore, an Integrated Strategy for Business Events in Northern Ireland was launched in March. The strategy seeks to double the number of international conferences hosted annually, and attract three times the number of delegates from the UK and Ireland by 2030. The steering group, made up of representatives from Tourism Northern Ireland, Visit Belfast and Visit Derry, and a range of organisations including ICC Belfast, Invest NI, Queen’s University and Ulster University, estimates that the business events sector in Northern Ireland could generate an additional £209m in direct economic impact, and up to 2,000 new jobs by 2030. Julia Corkey, chief executive, ICC Belfast, commented: “Our venue is specifically designed to attract and accommodate national and international business events, and as such is integral to the delivery of the recently launched Integrated Strategy for Business Events. When we bring these events to our venues, we take real pride in the fact that the economic impact will be felt throughout Belfast and Northern Ireland.”