Blog » Conference will fly flag for hospitality industry in Belfast

Conference will fly flag for hospitality industry in Belfast

27th April 2016

‘INSPIRE, innovate, succeed’ will be the theme of an international hospitality conference to be held in Northern Ireland for the first time next month.

Attracting 120 delegates from over a wide range of countries including Australia, USA, Brazil and Denmark, the Council for Hospitality Management Education Conference (CHME) will celebrate its 25th anniversary in Belfast following a competitive bid to host it by Ulster University Business School.

Professor Una McMahon Beattie, head of the department of hospitality and tourism management within the Ulster University Business School, explained: “With the ongoing growth in hospitality and tourism in Northern Ireland coupled with the Year of Food and Drink initiative, 2016 was the ideal time to pitch this conference for Belfast. It was a real coup to win the hosting rights in 2013 and we are looking forward to bringing together leading international hospitality academics as well as industry practitioners and policy makers to debate and showcase innovative and best practice for further redevelopment and progression of the hospitality industry.”

Headline speakers will include leading tourism and hospitality futurist Dr Ian Yeoman from New Zealand and renowned international expert on food design and innovation Dr Francesca Zampollo. Professor Peter Walker, head of the Belfast School of Architecture at Ulster University, will also headline with an exploration of built heritage and city brands using Belfast as a case study for this international audience.

In addition to access to a vast range of innovative industry research projects, delegates will also be able to participate in industry focused workshops. For example conference sponsor STR Global, a global analytics company, will give delegates a unique opportunity to achieve the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics following participation in two half-day workshops on May 3 and 4 and on completion of an online assessment. This leading hotel-related certification will enhance strategic decision making and give holders a definite career advantage.

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