Business Insight Belfast Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre Development The Opportunities For Your Business.

Business Insight Belfast Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre Development The Opportunities For Your Business. Belfast Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre Thursday 12 February

David Thomson NITB

Willie Lougheed NITB

Martin Lewis CAT Publications

Graham Thompson Belfast Waterfront BWCEC Project Sponsor

Belfast Waterfront -The future is bright! Graham Thompson BWCEC Project Sponsor www.waterfront.co.uk

BEFORE THE WHAT THE WHY

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? Economic Impact!

ECONOMIC IMPACT Conferences bring people who spend more Driver - Additional 144,300 delegate days Increased spend c 45m pa New jobs and businesses hotels, transport, pubs, retail etc c 1500 The place to be effect a magnet

BRINDLEY PLACE, BIRMINGHAM

MECC MELBOURNE

HOW WILL WE REALISE THESE BENEFITS?

THE CATALYST THE NEW BELFAST WATERFRONT Larger and more flexible facility Conferencing focussed

BIGGER Extension is 1.5 times the existing building Can operate in 3 distinct zones Main auditorium Studio Extension Or any combination of the above Could host 4600 guests simultaneously

CONFERENCED FOCUS Key focus Inbound conferences Association 41 conference events 203 entertainment performances Large banquets, exhibitions, sports Total - 391 events/performances Optimum year 2020/21

THE MARKET THE COMPETITION The market - Global 35,000 assoc Very competitive Dynamic Events worth 36.6b in UK Competition worldwide Dublin Edinburgh Valencia Innsbruck

MEETING THE CUSTOMER NEEDS International market 2000 pax + exhibition + banquet + technology Associations - education and networking What customers want Flexibility VFM High Tech feel appreciated- feel important

PARTNERSHIP AND DETERMINATION Team Belfast You Visit Belfast City Council Waterfront Hotels/VA s Passion Desire to show off Belfast Hunger to bring people here Desire to continue to make progress Showcase all that is great about Belfast Shout about your excellence

TEAM BELFAST GETS RESULTS Job creation Bringing in additional investment Demonstrating Belfast's importance in your sector Forging national and international links with colleagues in your field

TEAM BELFAST GETS RESULTS Highlighting cutting edge research and product developments Gaining professional recognition for world class research and knowledge Boosting your personal development and support education for future leaders Supporting the local economy

WILL IT JUST BE THE SAME BUT BIGGER?

SHORT ANSWER IS NO! Association conferences are bigger, more complex and more demanding. We therefore need to be More flexible More targeted Increased contingency planning what if More high tech More creative

OUR UNIQUE SELLING POINTS Destination Belfast - Big fish little pond Belfast will know you are in town Facility - Cutting edge technology 10Mbs Customer service - Your success is our success

HOW ARE WE FUNDING THIS EXPANSION?

FUNDING

Must deliver CONDITIONS OF FUNDING 50,000 annual conference delegates to the City by 2020 (Baseline: 25,000); 35,000 (of the 50,000) out-of-state conference delegates by 2020 (Baseline: 5,750); an average of 6 National Large Association conferences per annum from 2020 (Baseline: 1 Annually); and an average of 6 International/European Association conferences per annum from 2020 (Baseline: 1 every 2 years)

SO WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?

LATEST POSITION

WHERE ARE WE NOW? ON SCHEDULE Enabling works completed McLaughlin &Harvey main contractor appointed 2016/2020 bookings 17 events provisionally booked 30m economic impact - 64,000 delegate days 1m+ revenue 2016/17 target - exceeded

TIMESCALES April 2014 Enabling works commenced July 2014 Main contractor Sep 2014 Start on site Dec 2015 Completion Apr 2016 Mobilisation May 2016 First event

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN!

CALL TO ACTION? How can we work together? This is all about bringing more business tourists to Belfast Only together can we make this a success

ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU Tel: + 44 (0)28 9033 4400 Email: conference@waterfront.co.uk www.waterfront.co.uk

Brian French Royal College of Nursing

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight Winning UK Association Business Brian French Conference and Events Manager Royal College of Nursing

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight RCN UK wide professional organisation for nurses over 415,000 members throughout the UK also a trade union 12 offices throughout the UK including our Northern Ireland Board in Windsor Avenue, Belfast

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight In-house events team of 10 70-80 events a year Conferences, roadshows, exhibitions, awards dinners and the RCN's annual Congress Audience of 40-50 for a roadshow RCN Congress -5000 plus And all points in-between

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight RCN Congress takes place over 5 days - currently Sunday to Thursday has a three day exhibition with around 150 exhibitors - open Monday to Wednesday Over 100 fringe and social events

RCN Congress a main auditorium for at least 2000 around 4000 square metres of exhibition space meeting rooms for over 100 fringe events ancillary rooms for press, administration, the RCN's Council and so on 12 regional and country receptions held in different hotel locations in the destination Congress party for a minimum of 1200 9000+ bed nights of accommodation

Arriving at Glasgow Central Station On the screens at the SECC (Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre) In the front page of the restaurant menu Arriving at the hotel Arriving at the restaurant

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight Get to know your audiences attend their events Show you understand them Get them to know you Get them to visit Sell them the wow of contemporary Belfast.

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight Offer creative solutions to make events memorable Demonstrate how you will support events that come to the city Be prepared to match your pricing offer to the association's budget Work in partnership with your potential clients to share their success Try and exceed clients expectations when the events come to the city

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Business Insight Leave the delegates wanting more

Rachael McGuickin Visit Belfast

A game-changer for Belfast Rachael McGuickin Director of Business Tourism

We ve come a long way

But we have so much more to achieve 100% growth in visitor spend by 2020 Increase overnight leisure and business visitors Increase the length of stay Increase visitor satisfaction and advocacy Increase the city s year round appeal 114m 483m 870m

Waterfront expansion is a game-changer 250% increase in business bed nights by 2020 Attract higher spend business to the city Bring longer staying events Attract larger convention business - city-wide benefits Events with over 500 2000+ delegates x 4-5 nights It will create business for other venues, bars, restaurants, suppliers Year-round and mid-week business Puts Belfast on the map

Conferences take place in cities not venues* (controversial)

So how do we compare?

1. Capital city feels like a small town 2. Conferences like cities where they are a big deal 3. A city of international significance 4. Destination appeal interesting, different and new 5. location - UK and Ireland 6. Easy to get to Belfast, via Dublin. 1 hour from London 7. Budgets go further 8. Can-do attitude 9. The people and welcome for tourists 10.World-class venues and experiences 11.Quality, modern hotels 12. Two world-class Universities 13. Belfast Ambassadors 14. VIP treatment Lord Mayor, Ministers 15. isit Belfast support 16. TEAM Belfast approach across the city 17. Wi-Fi infrastructure 18. Landmark investment 19. A city on the rise / one to watch

The Belfast way

The opportunities Main conference + Gala dinner / awards ceremony Welcome and networking receptions Sponsor and speaker dinners, dine-around options / vouchers Side and satellite meetings AV / Technical / Exhibition Entertainment Catering Transport and transfers Accommodation & F&B Pre / post tours Informal social events pub summits / Prof in a pub Conference HQ café s and bars Unique and unusual meeting places Experiences

The challenge

How do you get your share of the business? Hotels and Venues Don t sell the space solve problems or make suggestions How can you make their conference or event better? Unusual event spaces outdoors, foyer, café, bar Technical is as (if not more) important as space Value add and TLC is important Repeat or extend stay come for the conference stay for the weekend People who is on their team and who will they be working with operations, chef, technical staff, GM Ask lots and lots of questions Research the client & find a connection Show off what can you do for VIPs, entertainment in the lobby bar, conference logos on coffee, welcome messages and signage, personalised logos on cupcakes, messages in-room, comp spa treatment for the organiser.

How do you get your share of the business? Bars, restaurants, cafes, activity providers Private hire, reserved areas and group offerings Unofficial conference HQ Delegate offers Experiences chefs table, wine tasting, entertainment, demos, field to fork International and special dietary requirements Welcome signage, logos, t-shirts! Conference themes science week Quirky ideas for meetings or breakout sessions Networking coffee mornings / Pub summits Designated point of contact be contactable

Engage with the conference and delegates Find out what events are coming up Contact Jamie McGookin (Visit Belfast) Visit Belfast delegate promos Follow the conference on twitter Get their attention and join in Use conference hashtag Make sure they know you! Offers, say hi, post nice messages, be funny They will RT and

Visit Belfast: key in-market promotions Feb 18-19 International Confex and Client event, London Feb 25 th Brussels Showcase Mar 9-10 C&IT Forum, London Mar TBC London sales calls Mar 17 th Paris MICE event (TI) 27 April 1 st May GB Corporate Roadshow 29 th April - 2 nd May TI Washington event and US sales mission 19-21 st May IMEX Frankfurt 11 th 12 th June BELFAST SHOWCASE VIP clients June TBC Ireland meetings North of England (TI) 7-9 th July UK Meetings Show, London Sept TBC London and Brussels sales calls 13-15 th Oct IMEX America 9 th Oct ABPCO FAM 6 th Nov Ireland meets the West End (TI) 17-19 th Nov IBTM World, Barcelona Sept-Dec Hard hat site visits and FAMs

Thank you! Contact us: conference@visit-belfast.com Tel: 028 90239026

Michael Williamson ASM Horwath

Belfast Waterfront CEC Hotel sector review & its relationship with the business tourism market Michael Williamson Director, ASM 12 February 2015

Room occupancy/arr trends Occupancy BCC District - Hotel bedroom avg occupancy and avg room rates 90.0% 76 80.0% 77.0% 73.89 78.4% 78.6% 74 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 70.0% 65.9% 64.2% 66.8% 62.69 71.16 72 70 68 66 64 62 60 Bedroom occ. % ARR 10.0% 58 0.0% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Year 56 Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

Rooms demand by market segment % of room nights BCC District - % rooms occupied by customer type 50.0% 45.0% 49.1% 46.9% 40.0% 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 33.9% 36.3% 36.3% 31.5% 30.3% Corporate Meeting/conf 25.0% Indep. tourists 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 7.3% 6.4% 6.5% 7.1% 5.2% 4.7% 5.8% Tour Groups Air crew other 0.0% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Year Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

Rooms demand by market segment no. of room nights 1,000,000 BCC District - Rooms occupied by customer type 900,000 800,000 102,177 other 700,000 600,000 500,000 416,706 Air crew Tour Groups 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0 171,149 41,926 47,483 37,421 40,945 51,533 34,450 40,994 281,994 215,310 213,801 242,766 261,227 274,416 269,215 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Year Indep. tourists Meeting/conference Corporate Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

Features of business tourism longer avg. stay single occupancy rate high return potential for business & leisure typically create demand in shoulder/winter seasons typically use more upmarket hotels higher spend but is this true in Belfast? Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

ARR trends by market segment ARR BCC district - Hotel ARR by key customer type 90 87.21 85 84.26 83.11 80 75 76.24 76.12 Corporate guests 70 65 60 64.30 68.07 Conference Independent tourists 55 Tour groups 50 45 Overall Avg 40 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Year Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

Influences on destination choice access standard of facilities destination appeal service standards logistics price so, the easier we can make the decision to buy. Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

How do local hotels compare? City benchmarks (4 & 5 star) 2013 Belfast* Bristol Glasgow Manchester Bedroom occupancy % 77.5% 68.4% 76.0% 74.5% ARR 75.28 71.57 64.50 80.22 RevPar 58.38 48.97 49.02 59.76 2011 Bedroom occupancy % 64.7% n/a 75.2% 84.0% ARR 65.92 n/a 69.20 70.90 RevPar 42.63 n/a 52.02 59.84 2013 v 2011 RevPar growth +37% - - 6% 0% Source: ASM* & TRI Hotstats Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

Opportunities/challenges prospects for the MICE market very strong as a destination, we have a lot to offer room demand from MICE mkt could x3 within 5 years, but Belfast is remote in European context accommodation supply will be an issue in the short-med term subvention will continue to be a feature of the market exchange rate is against us VAT rate is against us packaging of destination/collaboration of all stakeholders will be critical pricing along the supply chain must be competitive Tourism NI : Business Tourism Development Insight

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