Belfast was recently judged the winning conference bid to hold next year’s 43rd annual conference of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) in June 2012, according to Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau.

Over 400 representatives from across the legal information sector will gather in the city for the three-day conference and networking event. It’s the first time in BIALL’s 40 year history that Belfast has been selected and 15 years since it was last hosted in Northern Ireland. The main conference will take place in Hastings’ Europa Hotel.

BVCB’s Conference Bureau provided vital support to Belfast conference ambassador Niamh Burns, from the Bar Library in Belfast and BIALL Chair John Furlong, in bringing the conference to the city with the financial support of Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

BVCB’s Chief Executive, Gerry Lennon thanked the input of the local Bar Library in winning the bid: “Many of the conferences held in Belfast can be attributed to the efforts of our Conference Ambassador, such as Niamh.  BVCB’s Conference Ambassador programme offers a comprehensive package of support to professionals who can influence bids for their association conference to be held here. Belfast has a wealth of expertise and knowledge that allows us to target association conferences relating to disciplines ranging from legal, medicine and engineering, to research, business and academia.”

NITB’s Business Tourism Manager Willie Lougheed welcomed the news, adding: “What was also key in winning the BIALL 2012 bid is the fact that Belfast has an excellent meetings, incentive and transport infrastructure coupled with the distinctive cultural experience and warm welcome that can only be found here."

"We hope to encourage conference delegates to either extend their visit next year or consider a return leisure trip in order to enjoy the region’s other attractions such as the soon-to-be open Titanic Belfast and MAC attractions as well as the activities such as golf or taking in our wonderful rural scenery.” 

Attracting conference business of this stature and scale makes a very important contribution to Belfast’s economy - BIALL conference is estimated to generate in the region of 1,200 bed nights and half a million pounds.