At Titanic Belfast, reception space includes a replica of the ship’s grand stairway. And Hosts had fun using the stairway to introduce its DMC members. Here, Michael Dalton, director of sales at Maloney & Kelly, the DMC sponsor of the Forum, makes his entrance.

For the Forum’s opening evening at Titanic Belfast, actors brought museum tours to life with personal stories of workers who built the ship and those traveled on the doomed maiden voyage.

Hosts Global president Marty MacKay with managing director of Hastings Hotels, Dr. Howard Hastings.

Belfast-born author C.S. Lewis, who created the magical series The Chronicles of Narnia, undoubtedly would have been delighted with the portrayal of the faun Mr. Tumnus, who took to the Forum stage to invite attendees to a Narnia-themed evening event.

The stunning Belfast City Hall was the site of a Chronicles of Narnia–themed event.

Over the course of the Forum, attendees had 12 one-on-one appointments with Hosts Global DMCs from around the world.

The cheeky and engaging David Meade, keynoter, entertainer, and TV personality, talked to attendees about decision-making and how motivation works.

Jennifer McGovern lead a “laughing yoga” session that was therapeutic, fun, and incredibly funny.

An indoor/outdoor pub night at Belfast’s Dark Horse Pub

Some Hosts attendees traveled up the Northern Ireland coast to visit the Giant’s Causeway—to some a geological wonder to others the mythological workings of the Irish giant Finn McCool.

Those on the Game of Thrones tour made a stop at another Hastings property, the Slieve Donard Hotel, which looks out over the sea and backs up to the Royal County Down golf course.

HBO’s Game of Thrones creators found iconic locations throughout Northern Ireland to film, and have a studio in Belfast near the Titanic museum. Some Forum attendees took bikes into Tollymore Forest to view Game of Thrones filming locations, and traveled to Castle Ward, aka Winterfell, for a rustic lunch and a chance to try their hand at archery.

Outside the city center, the 98-room Hastings Culloden Estate and Spa hosted attendees after a day of tours. The property, once a Bishop’s palace, features intricate stained glass in the original building and beautiful grounds looking out over the sea.

Maloney & Kelly, the destination management company that helped to organize and sponsor the 2018 Forum, earned the DMC of the Year award from Hosts and a standing ovation from attendees. Pictured from left: Michael Dalton, director of sales, Maloney & Kelly; Hosts Global executives Marty MacKay, president, and Jennifer Patino, CEO; and John Healy, managing director, Maloney & Kelly

In Belfast, Hosts Global announced with music and dancers that Paradisus Palma Real, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, will be the headquarters hotel for the Forum in June 2019.