Case Study: ICC Belfast builds back better with Tessitura

How ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall & Ulster Hall forged a new path in uncertain times

ICC Belfast, along with the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, is a group of world-class venues operated by BWUH Ltd. for Belfast City Council. When the pandemic forced a mandatory shutdown in March 2020, it decimated the events industry and left the future of the venues in jeopardy. The existing challenge of a recent leadership change was massively compounded by the need to manage a fractured workforce, address countless customer refund requests, and generate income with no clear reopening date. During this period, the venues utilized their ticketing platform from the vendor Tessitura to manage these unprecedented pressures.

The solution involved working closely with Tessitura to rapidly deploy new software functionalities. This included implementing a batch 'Refund Request' button to simplify a previously arduous process and later developing the ability to sell tickets in socially-distanced 'bubbles' to aid reopening efforts. The partnership with Tessitura was also critical for launching 'Live from the Ulster Hall', a digital streaming service that created a new revenue stream. These innovative solutions helped BWUH Ltd. retain over 95% of its conference business, secure multi-year deals worth £8.4M in economic impact, and ultimately reopen successfully, with employee engagement scores showing significant improvement.

ICC Belfast