Hopes for tourism growth

Derry’s City of Culture status in 2013 should boost tourism numbers, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has said, after official statistics indicated decreases over the last year.

“It is important that we leave no stone unturned in the drive to let the world know what makes Northern Ireland such a special place to visit,” Foster said as she launched Tourism Ireland’s annual marketing plan.

Provisional figures state that 1,033,000 overseas visitors came to the province between January-September 2012, compared to 1,170,000 in that period last year: a 12 per cent decrease.

While visitors from Great Britain and continental Europe decreased (down 15 and 20 per cent respectively), those from North America and elsewhere increased (up 18 per cent and 7 per cent).

Foster pointed out that 615,000 people had visited Titanic Belfast and the new Giant’s Causeway visitors’ centre had attracted more than 300,000 tourists.  In both cases, over 60 per cent of those visitors came from outside Northern Ireland.

A draft tourism strategy for Northern Ireland was published in February 2010 and the consultation closed in May 2010.  The strategy has not yet been approved by the Executive and Sinn Féin is seeking an all-Ireland strategy.

However, DETI and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board have taken forward the draft strategy’s action plan.  Its key priority is to “inspire the people of Northern Ireland to discover and share our stories with visitors.”