THE Best of the West Awards are closing in fast and, as we prepare to shine a spotlight on those leading the recovery from the Covid pandemic, Belfast's leading tourism organisation Fáilte Feirste Thiar has come on board to celebrate our local Hospitality Heroes.
Fáilte Feirste Thiar (Welcome West Belfast) are sponsoring this year's Hospitality award, and there is perhaps no better way to celebrate the recovery of such a hard-hit sector than with an an in-person Best of the West gala at one of our incredible local hospitality venues.
Following last year's virtual event, Best of the West returns to the Devenish Complex on Friday night in what will be our first physical event since the beginning of the pandemic.
After what has been a "horrendous" 18 months for tourism and hospitality providers across the globe, Fáilte Feirste Thiar Director, Harry Connolly, is looking forward to showcasing all that is good about our local sector.
"We felt that the Best of the West Awards provided a huge platform and huge opportunity to showcase the resilience of the local community, particularly the local tourism and hospitality industry who have suffered greatly," he said.
"They've also shown their resilience and their ability to bounce back and we already see some tours beginning to happen, visitor centres that have reopened and are reporting good, strong, solid numbers coming through the door, all be them local domestic visitors and some from across Ireland and some from Britain. We're starting to see that although it's nowhere near what it was in 2019, which was very much the dizzy heights – the most successful year for tourism in Ireland ever.
"All forecasts say that it will be three to five years before we return to that. However, in West Belfast, at a local level, people are great at looking after each other and it's great to see local people getting out and being a tourist in their own community and uncovering many of the hidden gems, the hidden heritage that resides here in the local community and, indeed, sampling lots of the local hospitality offer that's available here.
"It's a great opportunity for us in Fáilte Feirste Thiar, tasked with promoting tourism locally, to showcase what's great and good about West Belfast."
Ahead of Friday night's gala event, Harry hailed our Hospitality Heroes who have "looked after us through thick and thin".
"It has been amazing seeing the hospitality industry being able to pivot to be able to look after those most vulnerable in our community," he said.
"My message to them all is to keep doing what you're doing, because the hospitality industry is a core pillar of West Belfast's overarching tourism product and offer."
