ICC Belfast has strengthened its award-winning team with a new appointment and two promotions.
Jill Houlahan has joined the team as Head of Corporate Sales, bringing a wealth of commercial sales experience.
Laurel Gray who has been with ICC Belfast since 2016 as an event planner and senior manager, has been promoted to Head of Events. Laurel has a well-established international network, built through participation in programmes including AIPC Future Shapers, bringing fresh perspectives to the events industry.
Meanwhile, Jenni Yau, who’s been at the venue for 8 years, has been promoted to Head of Association Sales. Initially starting out in a leading local hotel group, Jenni is passionate about the MICE industry and helped lead ICC Belfast’s winning bid to host One Young World in 2023.
Ahead of Global Meetings Industry Day (03 April), we sat down with the team to look at some of the emerging trends in the world of large scale events.
Trend #1 AI and personalisation
Jenni Yau, Head of Association Sales said,
“AI is a game-changer in so many sectors, so of course it’s a hot topic in the events industry too. From initial planning, to live execution and post-event analysis, it’s all everyone is talking about. Most interestingly, AI offers enhanced personalisation, by shaping event experiences around each individual attendee.
“While delivering bespoke events will be paramount, the whole event experience from start to finish is what leaves a lasting impression: the people, the space, the food and the networking opportunities must all work cohesively to form the overall event journey. There are some important key trends we’re on top of to make this happen at ICC Belfast: in-house capabilities, event legacy, sustainability and social impact and the increasing importance of the bleisure experience.”
Trend #2 The rise of in-house capabilities
Fresh from hosting ICEXTRA for the first time at ICC Belfast, Jill Houlahan, Head of Corporate Sales, has been networking with industry leaders from some of the biggest players in the events industry across the UK and Ireland.
Reflecting on the conversations from that event, Jill said she has seen more clients requesting a full overview of in-house capabilities, particularly for technical production and hospitality. She believes corporate clients are keen to bring their vision to life. There’s a definite move towards greater venue collaboration and increased use of in-house event services.
Jill said, “Convention centres hold a unique advantage, offering in-house expertise, specialist skills and cutting-edge technology. By leveraging our strengths in these, we can streamline the planning process, collaborating seamlessly and remove unnecessary complexity for organisers. This partnership approach makes us stand out from the competition and enables event planners to focus on creating extraordinary experiences.”
Trend #3 True value
Jenni represented ICC Belfast at AIPCO’s 13th Annual Business Events Conference in Galway in February. One of main talking points there was balancing rising costs with the demand for premium event experiences. Jenni believes value is about much more than just price.
Jenni said, “While budget will always remain a key differentiator, true value goes beyond cost – it’s about delivering creative, high-quality experiences that help build connections, share knowledge, and establish long-term relationships.
“We are often asked by Associations to show how event investment will leave a legacy. We’re proud to support events that inspire, connect and make a lasting community impact. Just one example of this was seeing local Belfast primary school kids, eyes wide in awe of a science project that was developed specially for them by a specialist surgical association – that’s the kind of truly unique experience that inspires the next generation and makes us proud.”
Trend #4 The power of sustainability
Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have in the events industry – it’s expected. The newly updated ISO 20121 standard strengthens the link between events and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing the role the events industry plays in driving positive environmental and social impact.
Laurel Gray, Head of Events, has the Belfast venue’s eye firmly on meeting – and exceeding – ESG goals, from top to bottom. This includes a unique farm-to-fork commitment to local sourcing, whereby the hospitality team know, and can pinpoint the local farmer or grower of most of the fresh produce used in the venue.
Laurel said, “At ICC Belfast, we’ve made sustainability a core part of our hospitality offering, becoming the first venue in Ireland to achieve ISO 20121 accreditation.
“Event organisers choosing our venue can be confident that we don’t just meet sustainability standards, we lead the way in responsible event delivery.
“Beyond green imperatives, we’re also focused on social legacy and I’ve been fortunate to be part of a leadership development programme for schoolgirls, called SistersIN, of which we’re a founding partner. I’ve had the opportunity to mentor – and to be inspired by – young women who will be our future leaders, and to introduce them to an industry they may never have considered.”
Trend #5 Bleisure and Incentive
A trend that is gaining traction is the active blending of business travel with leisure time, commonly known as ‘bleisure’. It’s something Belfast’s business events, tourism and hospitality providers do exceptionally well. The recent ICEXTRA mini conference at ICC Belfast provided the team with an opportunity to showcase the city to corporate event leaders visiting for the first time.
Jill Houlahan explained how the warm “Belfast Welcome” delivers a lasting impact for any event experience at ICC Belfast, saying,
“It’s really important to bring people to Belfast – not just to see the city, but to truly experience it. It still surprises and delights us to hear delegates talk about Northern Ireland’s hospitality and the warmth of our welcome, which, they say, is like no other place on earth.
“We know that success isn’t just about world-class facilities – it’s about the people behind them and the overall experience, end to end. That’s why we work so closely with our city partners to create bespoke events and experiences that extend far beyond the walls of our venue.”
