Tuesday, June 17, 2025. 5:04pm
One of the leading figures in Northern Ireland’s hospitality industry, James McGinn, has worked for Hastings Hotels for 29 years
James McGinn, the managing director of one of Northern Ireland’s premier hotels, Hastings Hotels, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List for services to tourism and hospitality.
One of the leading figures in Northern Ireland’s hospitality industry, McGinn, has worked for Hastings Hotels for 29 years and was recognised for his experience in the hospitality industry, as well as his wealth of knowledge and expertise
Before being appointed managing director of Hastings Hotels in 2022, James was at the helm of the Europa Hotel for two decades, one of Belfast’s most famous properties – where former US President Bill and his wife, the former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, have stayed three times, most recently in 2023.
The hotel inadvertently became a base for local and overseas journalists during the Troubles – including Trevor McDonald, Kate Adie, John Sergeant and Richard Ford.
“It’s an honour to have received this recognition,” said McGinn.
“Tourism and hospitality is in my blood, and I’m thankful for the career I have built at Hastings Hotels for the last 29 years and for the opportunities provided to me by the Hastings family.
“I would also like to thank my colleagues across the group, because without them, this recognition wouldn’t be possible.”
James graduated in 1988 from Queen’s University Belfast, moving to London for work before returning to Omagh in 1990 to work as Food and Beverage Manager in his family’s business, the Woodlander.
He graduated with an MSc in Hotel and International Tourism Management from the University of Ulster in 1994 and then worked in the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC before returning to Northern Ireland in 1996, where he started his career with Hastings Hotels at the Europa Hotel.
Founded almost sixty years ago by Sir William Hastings, Hastings Hotels is Northern Ireland’s largest independently owned luxury hotel group. It has grown into a celebrated collection of six upscale hotels, offering a mix of city sophistication and countryside character. As well as the Europa, other properties include the Culloden Estate and Spa, the Grand Central Hotel, the Stormont Hotel – all in Belfast – Ballygally Castle in Antrim and The Everglades Hotel in Derry.