Belfast is a city full of ambition, optimism and above all, energy.
It’s the capital city of Northern Ireland – and the key driver of its economy, supporting almost 30% of the region’s GDP. The business and cultural heart of the region, Belfast is also a talented, competitive and connected city which provides the unique benefit of dual market access to the UK and the EU.
Home to many global companies and thriving high-growth sectors, Belfast’s stand-out strengths include the creative industries (Titanic Studios is one of Europe’s largest film campuses), digital innovation, cyber security, FinTech and financial services, life and health sciences, advanced manufacturing and engineering.
Belfast is the number one global investment location for US cyber security developments and we’re ranked in the top 10 Tech Cities of the future for FDI performance.
A £1billion programme of Belfast Region City Deal investment over the next decade in research, digital innovation, infrastructure and visitor attractions is set to further transform our economy.
Our partners Innovation City Belfast are working to make Belfast the destination of choice for innovators and investors in innovation and are leading on the 400 acre Innovation District based around the Titanic Quarter and a Smart District based around the city centre.
The city that built Titanic and many other famed ships, we have over 150 years of marine manufacturing experience and world-renowned shipbuilder Harland & Wolff continues to support the needs of the maritime, offshore and renewable energy sectors.
Belfast is also home to Artemis Technologies, pioneers in green maritime innovation and a global leader in aerospace engineering, Spirit Aerosystems. Steeped in this rich engineering heritage, today’s Belfast is brimming with knowledge, skills and experience. This sector contributes over £1 billion to the local economy and Belfast Harbour is now helping to push the boundaries of sustainable ferry transportation, with research and development at the core of Belfast’s growth in this sector.
Belfast is home to the Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering Centre (NIACE), bringing engineering companies and knowledge providers together to develop technical expertise and help support innovation and product development.
We’re a compact city, with a population of 342,560 – and we rank number one for the lowest cost of living among UK cities. We’re a young city; over a third of our working-age population is aged 16-39 years. And our workforce is highly skilled, providing a wealth of talent across the film, animation, music, mobile, gaming and TV sectors and more. Our universities play a leading role in creating spinouts and pioneering research. The Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology Facility at Queen’s University Belfast has revolutionised cancer research, whilst Ulster University’s Connected Health Innovation Centre leads transformational research, which aligns care needs with technology providers, researchers and clinical experience.
Condé Nast voted Belfast number three in their Travellers’ List of UK city breaks – no surprise, since it’s full of unique attractions, great food and gives visitors a warm and friendly welcome (readers of Condé Nast Traveller voted Belfast friendliest UK city).
We’re in the top 20 list of sustainable destinations in the world (GDS Index) and with a compact, walkable centre, Belfast offers eclectic quarters and neighbourhoods to explore, each with something special to uncover and enjoy, from history and street art to music and theatre and everything in between.
We were the first city on the island of Ireland to be awarded UNESCO City of Music status in 2021 and we boast world-class cultural experiences, over 80 festivals and top-class eateries, including several Michelin starred restaurants.
Find out more at www.belfastcity.gov.uk and www.visitbelfast.com and come see for yourself!
