Belfast was last night (Monday 27 November) crowned 2017’s Rising Star at the National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards in London.
These annual awards recognise the best places, experiences, hotels, operators, attractions and more, shortlisted by a panel of judges, but ultimately voted for by the public.
Councillor Mairéad O’Donnell, Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee said “This is yet another fantastic accolade for our city, which over the past few decades has built a reputation as a great city break destination for visitors from all over the world.
“Investment from the private and public sectors in world-class attractions, top-class event spaces, an ever-growing and varied accommodation portfolio, and tourism infrastructure has made the city a great place to visit, and we hope that this award will tempt even more tourists to our city in 2018.”
The award was collected by Visit Belfast on behalf of the city, and Dr. Howard Hastings, Chair of the organisation also welcomed the award saying “Awards like this can undoubtedly be influential for visitors choosing their next destination, so we are thrilled that Belfast has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ among destinations.
“2017 has been a remarkable year for recognising how far the city has come in the eyes of the world, as this accolade comes hot on the heels of Belfast and the Causeway Coast being named Lonely Planet’s top region to visit in 2018, as well as being listed as one of the UK’s top ten cities by Conde Naste Traveller magazine. All these awards raise the city’s profile globally, and will make for a very exciting year ahead in 2018.”