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Date: 2 February 2026
Ahead of what is expected to be Belfast’s busiest ever summer for visitors, local tourism and hospitality businesses are being invited to a free seminar on making their services and venues as inclusive as possible.
Hosted by Belfast City Council, and organised in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland, Visit Belfast and Titanic Belfast, the Embrace the Inclusive Spirit workshop will take place on Tuesday 17 February, 9am to 2pm, at Titanic Belfast.
It is open to all Belfast-based tourism businesses and organisations, tour guides and event organisers and will highlight the benefits of catering to disabled visitors – an industry worth £249 billion to the UK economy.
“With Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann expected to bring at least 800,000 visitors into Belfast from 2-9 August, making sure everyone can access what our city has to offer is crucial,” explains Councillor Ian McLaughlin, Chair of the council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee.
“This is an opportunity for businesses to learn about practical steps they can take to make their products more accessible, to hear the first-hand experiences of disabled travellers and to gain insight into marketing techniques to help reach new customers.
“Belfast is on the world stage this year and it’s vital our spaces and places give everyone the chance to participate fully. I would encourage any businesses keen to make the most of this year’s opportunities to come along and see what this event can offer them.”
To book a place at the Embrace the Inclusive Spirit seminar, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/Embrace-the-Inclusive-Spirit
The workshop will be hosted by Jamie Shields, co-founding director of Disabled by Society. A registered blind disability advocate, he will also share his own personal experiences of ADHD and autism and how inclusive approaches have helped improve his travels.
Comedian Emer Maguire will bring her insights as an autistic adult, having performed in music venues and performance spaces across the UK and Ireland, while Cathelijne Denekamp, Accessibility and Inclusion Manager at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, will share her strategies for creating world-class inclusive visitor experiences.
The seminar will also feature the second Embrace the Inclusive Spirit Inclusive Tourism Awards, celebrating the organisations already working to make tourism in Belfast truly accessible and nominated by the public.
Businesses who have received small grants of up to £500 from the council to support improved visitor experiences will also share their success stories.
So far, the vouchers – which are still available to eligible businesses, charities and social enterprises on a first-come, first-served basis – have been used for everything from staff training and sensory packs to developing more accessible websites and updating signage.
All three initiatives are part of the wider Embrace the Inclusive Spirit programme, designed by the council, Visit Belfast and Tourism Northern Ireland to support the city’s tourism sector and explore emerging markets.