ICC Belfast, Northern Ireland’s only purpose-built international convention centre, has been awarded ‘gold’ in the Convention Centre category at this year’s Eventex Awards.

The awards are the world’s leading honours for events and experience marketing.

This year received 1,207 entries from 62 countries and six continents. ICC Belfast was the only convention centre from across the UK and Ireland to be awarded gold, earning an impressive score of 90,317. Qatar’s National Convention Centre scored 80,237 and earned silver.

Judges evaluated venues on criteria including concept, creativity and innovation. They acknowledged ICC Belfast’s position as a catalyst for economic development in Northern Ireland.

They also noted the venue's recent accomplishments, including hosting the One Young World Summit and receiving acclaimed industry accolades such as the Green Meetings Gold Award. Delegate numbers, the venue’s accessibility and sustainability commitments, and its high employee engagement, were also taken into consideration.

The gold award comes following the venue’s £29.5 million extension, unveiled in 2016, which firmly positioned Belfast as a destination for conferencing. The venue has enabled the region to target £209 million in direct economic impact by 2030.

Julia Corkey, chief executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, said: “This award recognises ICC Belfast as a state-of-the-art international conference venue. With the support of our partners, we create a world-class stage where great things happen.

"I'm incredibly proud of our fantastic team for driving forward our commitments to diversity and inclusion, and sustainability.

"This enables us to compete globally for business events and attract global organisations to Belfast that deliver socially, culturally, and economically for the region.”