Belfast has been named the best destination in the UK for business events for the sixth consecutive year at the 2026 Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT) Awards in London.
The Best UK MICE Destination award comes as Visit Belfast welcomed a total of 117 Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions across 2025 with over 37,000 delegates generating £37 million in economic impact for the visitor economy.
It recognises Visit Belfast’s work in bidding for, securing and delivering business events for the city region, in partnership with Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and more than 500 industry partners across accommodation, venues, attractions, transport, universities and event suppliers.
Last year, 100% of surveyed event organisers said they would recommend Belfast as a MICE destination demonstrating the city’s ability to deliver exceptional national and international business events.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, said: “This award reaffirms Belfast’s place among the best in the world for conferences and events.
“Six consecutive years of recognition reflects the dedication, creativity and professionalism of the teams and partners who work tirelessly to attract and deliver high-quality events that bring visitors, investment and profile to our city.
“I want to commend Visit Belfast for its leadership in promoting Belfast on the global stage and for the vital role it plays, alongside our industry partners, in driving tourism growth and positioning Belfast as a world-class destination for business and events.”
Much of this business comes through Visit Belfast’s Northern Ireland Ambassador Network, which brings together 1,400 academic, medical and business leaders who advocate for the city and help bring their professional associations and company events to Belfast.
Visit Belfast acts as a single point of contact for organisers providing free, impartial support from bid development through to delivery, including venue sourcing, site visits and access to financial support for qualifying association conferences.
Recent wins include the C.S. Lewis Summer Institute, which had been held in Oxford and Cambridge for decades before choosing Belfast. The event brought international delegates to the city, 80% of them visiting the region for the first time.
Organisers praised the city’s walkability and accessibility, the hospitality across venues and suppliers and the strong local support. They have already confirmed Belfast as the destination for 2028.
Visit Belfast also secured the In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) Conference, which was hosted at ICC Belfast last year bringing together over 750 international leaders from the space sector generating £800,000 in economic impact. The conference was accompanied by Our Fragile Space, a free public exhibition on orbital debris.
Rachael McGuickin, Deputy CEO and Director of Business Events, Transformation and Sustainability at Visit Belfast, said: “Winning at the C&IT Awards for a sixth consecutive year tells organisers something simple: Belfast delivers.
“Behind that are hundreds of people, from our Ambassador Network to the venues, hotels and transport providers who make every event work. Business events bring visitors to the city midweek and in the shoulder season, support jobs year-round and put Belfast in front of decision-makers from every sector.
“With more than £830 million of investment coming into the city, we’re in a strong position to grow this further.”
Sustainability runs through the city’s offer. Belfast is ranked 8th of 100 destinations on the Global Destination Sustainability Index in 2026.
Visit Belfast holds a gold certification from Green Tourism, and 75% of the city’s hotel bedrooms hold a sustainability certification. Visit Belfast measures the carbon impact of tourism in Belfast annually and in March the organisation launched the Belfast Visitor Economy Net Zero (BVENZ) Working Group to coordinate industry action on emissions.
Belfast’s C&IT record now stands at six consecutive wins: Best Events Destination (2021), Best Conference Destination (2022 and 2023), Best Event Destination UK (2024), Best Destination UK (2025) and Best UK MICE Destination (2026).