Travel Trade and Business Events: October & November Update

Travel Trade

Tourism Ireland Belgium and Netherlands B2B Travel Trade Workshops 2024

Last week, 7 Northern Ireland industry participated in two B2B travel trade sales workshops in Belgium and the Netherlands, organised by Tourism Ireland.  

The workshops, held in Brussels, Belgium and Amersfoort, Netherlands, were attended by 37 Belgian and Dutch tour operators. They provided an excellent platform for industry to promote their products and experience and showcase the destination to tour operators bringing in valuable tourists from these markets.  

Businesses who attended included Visit Derry, Loughinsholin Tourism Cluster, Ella Mor Outdoor Adventures, Visit Causeway Coast and Glens, Visit Belfast, Titanic Belfast and Stena Line. 

Find out more | Tourism Ireland

World Travel Market  

Tourism Northern Ireland was in the ExCel London last week supporting 19 local industry and their partners at the 2024 World Travel Market.    
 
The annual global event attracts thousands of buyers from key markets and presents an excellent opportunity for industry to connect with international partners and explore new business prospects. 

The Northern Ireland businesses, who were showcasing their experiences and products on the Tourism Ireland stand, had the chance to engage with visitors through pre-scheduled meetings and open availability walk-ins. 

 Belgium & Netherlands Halloween Event

Tourism Ireland have recently launched a campaign to promote the island of Ireland as the home of Halloween. As part of this, a special Halloween evening for travel trade was held in Woerden, Netherlands on 10^th Oct and in Ghent, Belgium on 24^th Oct, with 2 NI industry reps having an opportunity to present their offering to a select group of Dutch and Belgian travel trade. The evening included an overview on the origins of Halloween and a number of performances by musicians and dancers. Visit Derry and Harrison Chambers of Distinction were the two NI industry reps in attendance.  

Special Tours Spain Fam Trip

Tourism NI are delighted to have hosted staff members and travel agents from Special Tours, Spain accompanied by Cristina Espejo, Tourism Ireland Spain.  This group spent four days in Northern Ireland enjoying a familiarisation visit to the region.  They started their trip with a visit to Killeavy Castle Estate and then travelled onwards to Belfast to enjoy Belfast Trad Trail, a visit to Titanic Belfast, a tour of Crumlin Road Gaol and the new McConnells Whiskey Distillery.  Their trip also brought  them to the Causeway Coast where they visited The Giants Causeway, Mussenden Temple, Chocolate Manor and Downhill Demesne.  On the final leg of their trip they headed to the North West where they discovered the Peace Makers Museum, the Guildhall and walked the City Walls before trying their hand with the sheepdogs at Glenshane Country farm.  Enroute home they will got a chance to toast their trip at The Percy French and Killowen Distillery.   

This group are keen to increase the Northern Ireland product they programme, improve their product knowledge, introduce new and sustainable product and showcase the variety of experiences and amazing landscapes here in Northern Ireland.  

Flavours of Ireland

Tourism Ireland hosted their annual Flavours of Ireland event at London's Guild Hall on 22nd Oct 2024.  

Flavours of Ireland is an in-person B2B workshop with a fixed programme of scheduled appointments followed by a networking event and dinner.  60 island of Ireland industry partners, including 20 from NI, had the opportunity to meet, and grow their business, with over 100 Global Inbound buyers based across the UK as they build their packages for 2025.  

Business Events

GB BCD Meeting & Events Team explore Northern Ireland on fam trip  

Tourism Northern Ireland, in collaboration with Meet in Ireland (Tourism Ireland), hosted a familiarisation trip for the GB team from BCD Meetings & Events over the weekend.

The visit aimed to showcase Northern Ireland's potential as a premier destination for business events. The itinerary featured key locations such as Belfast, Derry-Londonderry, and the iconic Causeway Coastal Route, allowing the team to experience the region’s venues, hotels, infrastructure, and breathtaking natural landscapes, while also connecting with the local meetings and events industry.

This experience further reinforced Northern Ireland's appeal as an attractive and versatile destination for hosting business events. 

Global Incentive Summit

Tourism Northern Ireland has been taking significant steps to position Northern Ireland as a top destination for incentive travel by targeting key North American buyers. The recent Global Incentive Summit in Killarney organised by Meet in Ireland and Failte Ireland proved to be a pivotal moment in this effort, bringing together over 60 incentive planners from across North America. Tourism NI supported three leading hotel brands—Hastings Hotel Group, Galgorm Collection, and Slieve Donard Resort—to attend the event, providing a diverse showcase of Northern Ireland’s exceptional accommodations and unique experiences. 

In addition to the summit, TNI also organized a pre-familiarisation trip for 12 incentive planners. This initiative allowed the planners to experience Northern Ireland firsthand, giving them a deeper understanding of the destination’s world-class hotels, breathtaking landscapes, and rich local culture. By offering this immersive experience, TNI not only fostered stronger relationships with key industry players but also highlighted the distinct advantages of choosing Northern Ireland for incentive travel programs.