01/07/2011 00:00:00
Influential conference and meeting planners attended a ‘Meet in Ireland’ event in Brussels, Belgium in June at one of Meet in Ireland’s networking events with tourism representatives from Ireland.
The guests at the event heard about the superb meetings and conferences facilities on offer and what makes the island of Ireland unique as a business destination. 
At the networking event, organised by the Meet in Ireland team in Brussels, were tourism representatives from Ireland. The team from Ireland which met with senior representatives and decision-makers from a number of international associations based in Belgium included hotels, PCOs (professional conference organisers), convention bureaux and venues.
Simon Gregory, Tourism Ireland’s Director of Markets, explained that the headquarters of over 2,000 associations, which regularly hold conferences for thousands of delegates in different venues around the world, are located in Brussels.
“We are delighted so many of these key decision-makers who are based in Brussels took the time to come to our networking event, demonstrating their keen interest in Ireland as a conference and business destination for 2011 and beyond.”
The opening of The Convention Centre Dublin in September 2010 has given Ireland a greater profile internationally particularly for association conferences and corporate meetings. This along with the superb meetings and transport infrastructure on offer here, coupled with our ease of access and distinctive cultural experience, means that Ireland is now an even more viable and attractive destination for the overseas business tourism market than ever before.
Pictured: Tourism industry partners from around the island of Ireland at a networking ‘Meet in Ireland’ event in Brussels, with Simon Gregory, Tourism Ireland (centre).