C&IT week at ICC Belfast

Event Overview

The C&IT Corporate Summit and Agency Forum took place in Belfast for the first time this summer, which saw 250 senior event professionals from the corporate and agency world travel to Belfast for three days of educational seminars, huddle debates, 1-2-1 meetings and panel discussions. Delegates also heard from senior event figures from both agencies and brands who discussed the key challenges and issues facing the events industry.

To celebrate our 10th anniversary of the event, we really wanted to do something extra special and take this mega-forum to Belfast – a city we knew would accommodate everyone with professionalism and charm.

Calum Di Lieto, editor of C&IT magazine

However, it wasn’t all work and no play! Delegates attended fabulous gala dinners at Titanic Belfast and HMS Caroline and partied in the Cathedral Quarter, the place to be to have ‘the Craic’ and soak up the atmosphere of Belfast’s bustling bars and restaurants. Buyers also had the opportunity to explore to see what Northern Ireland has to offer through post event FAM trips organised by Tourism Northern Ireland.

After being in the sector for nearly 20 years, the atmosphere engendered on the Thursday night in Cathedral Quarter, as the culmination of the event, was truly one of the best I have experienced in all that time

Robert Aldhouse, Sales Director at Haymarket

Belfast Makes Sense

Following ICC Belfast and Visit Belfast’s double win at the 2018 C&IT Awards, the city was an obvious choice for the 10th anniversary of this event. These award wins were a celebration of what has long since been feted by those in the know, that Team Belfast will work tireless at every touchpoint to ensure every detail of an event is considered and designed to exceed expectations.

Delegates stayed in hotels in the heart of Belfast, including the luxurious Grand Central Hotel, the most recent addition to locally owned Hastings Collection.

“From the site visit to the actual event Team Belfast were amazing, we were backed by the whole city which made the event such a success” 

Tamsin Ballantyne, Event Manager at Haymarket

The people of Belfast contributed immensely to the whole event experience both in the bars and restaurants to friendly faces passing on the street, our charm is what sets us apart from other cities.

The ICC Belfast Team were fantastic it was so streamlined, and everyone was so friendly both onsite and offsite, Irish charm and culture was certainly highlighted here

Olivia Petty, Haymarket

Closer than you think

Belfast is one of Europe’s most accessible, vibrant and flourishing cities and our fantastic city centre location, just a five-minute drive from George Best Belfast City airport and two-minute walk from the train station, made it extremely convenient for delegates travelling from the Republic of Ireland, and multiple UK destinations including London and Manchester.

A world-class venue

Our state-of-the-art venue was tailored to the specific needs of both C&IT events. Hall 1 was the main space for the Agency Forum, which was perfect as its flexibility allowed for an open exhibition area in Hall 1B with zones for Visit Berlin, one of the event sponsors and Tourism Northern Ireland who engaged a number of therapists to attend from luxury hotel spas including The Merchant, Galgorm Resort and Spa and Lough Erne Resort and Spa, treating delegates to a rejuvenating mini spa treatment. Hall 1A was designated for 1-2-1 appointments, while a Barista Bar and fruit station was placed in Hall 1C and content sessions were delivered in Hall 1D.

The delegate feedback was incredibly positive, with many first-time visitors leaving with plans to return again soon:

Great venue and the interior décor are fab especially the Game of Thrones wall… we’re now looking at this venue for one of our clients next year, so a great first impression!

Over the course of the 3 day conference, delegates had a range of delicious meals from locally produced goods, including Ewing’s Smoked Salmon and Creamed Cheese Mini Bagels on arrival and smoked Dromore chicken with avocado on multi seed slice cranbrook peppered topside and homemade chutney on sour dough for lunch, just to name a few options. Delegates were also treated to Yellow Door mini hand crafted pastries, belgium chocolate bites and cream filled eclairs with home made lemonade.

The food at the ICC was really varied, plentiful, super fresh and high quality and it was super that there were some locally sourced Irish twists like the apple juice and Seafood Broth. I loved that there was plenty of fruit veg and healthy options and that there were so many drink alternatives to just tea and coffee. 

Delegate feedback 

The city was certainly sad to see C&IT come to an end, however the buzz didn’t die down right away, the positive feedback we have received has been nothing short of fantastic and proves why Belfast makes sense as the host city for your next sales kick off meeting, AGM or staff conference. Over 80% of C&IT delegates have said that this year’s event has changed their perception of Belfast and that they would return for a personal trip as well as recommending Belfast to clients. It’s safe to say the 10th anniversary of this flagship event was certainly one to remember!