February 2025


“Say Hello to Barbados” campaign will offer travellers fantastic discounts of up to 65% on select accommodations and an


www.nitravelnews.com


Travellers Invited to Come ‘Say Hello to Barbados!’ THE


array of attractions and activities across the island, allowing them to experience so much more beyond the traditional sun, sea and sand.


Belfast International Airport Appoint Renowned Travel Retail Company to Enhance Duty Free Store


BELFAST International Airport has


appointed Lagardère Travel Retail to operate the new duty free retail and food and beverage store.


Spanning over 1,600 square metres, the new concept store will be twice as large as the current provision and will create 40 new jobs. This new offering at Belfast International Airport will combine Duty Free, Food & Beverage and Travel Essentials all under one roof creating a fully immersive duty free experience. For the first time, passengers will have access to iconic global brands such as MINISO and Rituals.


The offering also celebrates Northern Ireland’s local heritage with the introduction of its


latest Whiskey


Apothecary concept, featuring local brands such as McConnell’s, Bushmills,


and


Boatyard Distillery. This authenticity is further enhanced through a partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland, including initiatives like


the Northern


Ireland Spirits Trail, highlighting the region’s rich distilling heritage.


will also be invited to


explore


Passengers an


international tasting bar,


sampling local


and global products to discover and take home their favourite finds.


Interactive “Hotspots” will add an immersive dimension, showcasing curated selections


of clean


beauty, local fashion, and dining options to engage travellers and create memorable experiences.


Transition Zone, designed in collaboration with Belfast International Airport,


A standout space is the walkthrough to


encourage passengers to spend more time in the primary Duty Free shopping area. This innovative space will include a dedicated MINISO corner – the first of its kind in Northern Ireland – alongside Lagardère Travel Retail’s unique Discover Belfast and Tech2Go concepts, complemented by Fashion shops.


and Travel Essentials shop-in-


This ambitious project, which is due to open in April 2025, is part of VINCI Airports’ five year £100m investment and redevelopment program to enhance the


passenger experience at Belfast


International Airport. It also reinforces the strong and longstanding collaboration between Lagardère Travel Retail and Belfast International Airport.


Commenting on the new, extended contract, Peter Newbould, Chief Executive


commitment to delivering memorable and engaging moments for travellers, while also showcasing the rich culture of Northern Ireland.”


Daniel Owens, CEO Belfast International Airport commented: “We are thrilled to partner with Lagardère Retail


Travel to deliver a truly unique


and elevated passenger experience. This collaboration has been a testament to the power of teamwork and shared vision. We’re confident that this partnership will redefine the travel experience at Belfast International Airport.


“However, it also highlights the inequality that Northern Ireland travellers face as they cannot avail of the full duty free tax exemption when travelling to other UK and EU Airports, as airports across rest of the UK and Ireland can, following the Brexit transition


period.


Officer of Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland, said: “We are proud to partner with the Belfast International Airport team to bring a rich variety of global and local brands to travellers at Belfast for the first time. Our vision is to create an exceptional and dynamic experience that goes beyond the traditional airport journey,


combining


innovative concepts with a strong sense of place. This project underscores our


UPDATES | 11


Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Launch New Tactile Tours in Partnership with Guide Dogs


WARNER Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter,


Tactile Tours,


introduces to


enhance accessibility at the world- leading


with a brand-new experience


for visitors with visual impairments.


Guide


In partnership with Dogs,


for the


first time visitors with sight loss can touch familiar props, including the wands of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Voldemort – and


even feel the intricate design of the all- powerful Elder Wand, allowing those with visual impairments to immerse themselves into the world of Harry Potter and experience the filmmaking magic.


The introduction of the Tactile Tours is the latest enhancement to the Studio Tour as part of the year-long partnership with Guide Dogs, focussed on bringing best practice in accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired. Individuals with a visual impairment, including children and young people, guide dog owners and buddy dog families were invited to visit the Studio Tour to offer feedback on how to improve the experience for people with a visual impairment.


Their personal insight


helped influence the Tactile Tours by highlighting elements of the tour which could be brought to life through touch. Costumes worn by the infamous Death Eaters and other characters from the fan-favourite film series, as well as fabrics from Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom, will be available for visitors with visual impairment to


attraction designed


touch. Visitors will also be able to get closer to magical creatures by stroking a section of Aragog’s prickly leg, and they will get to touch the treasure found in Gringotts. To conclude this new experience,


the iconic Hogwarts castle model has been transformed into a raised, tactile floorplan so visitors with sight loss can trail their way through their favourite locations using their fingertips. Staff at the Studio Tour completed training created by Guide Dogs to teach best practices when helping visitors with sight loss. The training covered topics such as how to approach someone with sight loss, navigate narrow or busy spaces, steps and doorways, within the Studio Tour.


The team also received bespoke in- person practical sighted guided training, which was delivered by Guide Dogs, including how to safely guide someone with sight loss with confidence, skill and empathy. The sessions included advice on language and communication and how the power of description and use of the senses can be used to bring the experience to life.


Stena Line Reports Record Freight Volumes on Belfast Routes


2024 was a record year for Stena Line freight volumes on its three Belfast services with almost 600,000 freight units being shipped between Cairnryan, Liverpool (Birkenhead) and Heysham. Demand for freight services to and from Belfast has been increasing steadily in recent years with the Belfast-Liverpool (Birkenhead) route in particular growing in popularity with hauliers and three ships serving the route. Stena Line’s travel business has also had


a strongyear with almost 1.7m passengers and 500,000 cars passing through Belfast in 2024.


This places Northern


Ireland at a clear competitive disadvantage for attracting routes, visitors and investment and something we are determined to put right to ensure our travellers are fairly and equitably treated”.


Later this year, Stena Line will mark 30 years of ferry services from Belfast. The business moved from Larne to Belfast Harbour in 1995 with one ferry route to Stranraer and has now grown to three routes and seven ships. Paul Grant, Irish Sea North Trade Director said, “Today, Belfast is one of the most strategically important business hubs across the Stena Line network. Our Irish Sea business has transformed over the last three decades through a combination of continued investment and the continued support from our customers.” “August brings another exciting chapter to the Belfast journey with the introduction of the first of our two NewMax ships on the Heysham service, Stena Futura, which will provide an additional 40% freight capacity on the route when joined by Stena Connecta in early 2026.


“The two NewMax hybrid vessels will


play a key role in developing Stena Line’s sustainability journey as they will both be able to operate on methanol fuel. They will also be enhanced with built in technologies that will be able to utilise both battery propulsion and shore power, when available.” Joe O’Neill, Chief Executive of Belfast Harbour, said: “Stena Line is one of Belfast Harbour’s most important strategic partners and should be commended for achieving record freight volumes in what was a relatively flat year for the wider economy. This success reflects the quality of service offered by Stena Line and its willingness to respond to customer demand with new investment. We are excited by the potential to increase freight volumes further on Stena Line’s Belfast routes when the company’s two NewMax vessels are introduced.”


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