54 | THE LOCAL TOURIST
Galgorm Collection Unveils Groundbreaking New Loyalty Scheme in Northern Ireland
GALGORM Collection, renowned for its legacy in luxury hospitality, has officially launched a new, groundbreaking loyalty initiative, Galgorm Rewards. As the first of its kind for a Northern Irish independent hospitality group, this programme encompasses the Galgorm Collection portfolio; Galgorm, the Rabbit Hotel & Retreat, The Old Inn, and the esteemed Fratelli and Parisien restaurants in Belfast.
Creating endless opportunities to save, the new ‘Galgorm Rewards’ programme redefines guest experiences, creating a seamless and rewarding journey across all properties, enabling registered visitors and guests to unlock real value and new possibilities when they redeem their points for a variety of Galgorm Collection reward vouchers which they can use themselves.
Designed with simplicity in mind, the loyalty programme is complimentary to join, meaning every visit now comes with the added allure of earning points towards exclusive rewards. Guests can start to enjoy the benefits when they register, with 1 point gained for every £1 spent across any of its hotels or venues. Rewards span across all properties and can vary from either a pampering spa day to an exquisite dining experience, or a serene retreat.
Effective immediately, the new loyalty programme means visitors and guests can check their balance and redeem their Galgorm Rewards at any time. The App is available to download in the Apple App Store and through Google Play. Elaine Kelly,
Project and Systems
Manager at Galgorm Collection, said, “At Galgorm Collection, we believe that every guest should be treated to a remarkable and memorable experience.
Galgorm
Rewards is our way of thanking our valued guests by adding an extra layer of joy to their visits. It’s our gift—a token of appreciation for choosing us. The groundbreaking initiative is safe, simple and easy to use so that our guests can enjoy more of what they like most. As the region’s first independent hotel group to introduce a digital loyalty reward scheme, our newest innovation underpins our reputation as a future-focused market leader committed to delivering hospitality excellence in every area.”
The new initiative marks the latest in a series of major milestones across the
entire Galgorm Collection. In December, Galgorm was named as the best UK Spa at the AA Hotel Spa awards, with its thermal village gaining the award due to its exceptional and exemplary spa standards and outstanding wellness experiences. It also won an unprecedented six awards at the prestigious 2023 World Luxury Awards hosted in Athens and secured the Best Destination Spa 2024 title at the recent Conde Nast Johansens Awards in London. One of its newest properties, the Old Inn in Crawfordsburn, a historic landmark exuding timeless sophistication, became its latest venue to secure AA 4 Star Silver rating and a prestigious AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence. Since being acquired by Galgorm Collection in 2021, The Old Inn has already achieved a listing within Ireland’s Blue Book 2023 and was also named in the Irish Independent’s ‘FAB 50’ Top Stays in Ireland 2022. “At Galgorm Collection, we listen to the needs of our guests and then innovate to ensure their experience is the best it can be – and there is plenty to enjoy,” Galgorm Collection Group Marketing Manager Victoria Brown said. “As we continue our focus on innovation, pushing the boundaries in loyalty and service, our new Galgorm Rewards programme marks an important milestone in our growth and in enhancing our guests’ overall experience every time.”
Galgorm Collection also became the
first hospitality group on the island of Ireland to achieve official ‘Great Place to Work’ certification, based on exceptional employee experience.
A major local employer, Galgorm
Collection has dramatically scaled up its hospitality footprint and workforce over the last decade following a £90 million investment into the ongoing expansion and refurbishment of its flagship property Galgorm, with its latest investment project aiming to add new accommodation types and spa facilities by 2027.
Committed to working towards a sustainable future,
protecting the
environment, and reducing its carbon footprint through its Green Policy 10-Point Plan, Galgorm recently became the first hotel in Northern Ireland to achieve gold in two top sustainability accolades from Green Tourism in recognition of its “exceptional commitment to sustainable practices.”
nitravelnews.com | February 2024
Four Stars for Elephant Rock Hotel in Portrush
ELEPHANT Rock Hotel on Lansdowne Crescent in Portrush has been awarded a four-star accommodation grade by Tourism NI. The Victorian property is situated along the well-known seafront terrace and underwent extensive renovation, with the décor, flooring and furniture found to be “modern and design-led”.
It is within a short distance of popular eateries,
A Bolder Vision For Belfast; Plans Revealed To Transform Belfast Urban Spaces
Quality Assurance testament to
beaches and other tourist facilities in the town and will further boost the regeneration of Portrush. Alison Leslie,
Manager at Tourism NI, said: “We are delighted to award Elephant Rock Hotel this well-deserved four-star grading. “The award is
a the
facilities and service offered to guests and I wish to commend Charlotte and the Elephant Rock team for all their efforts.” Charlotte Dixon, owner of Elephant Rock Hotel, said: “Taking part in the grading scheme has been invaluable to our business as it is a widely recognised mark of quality and a sought- after rating by visitors. “The whole process, from start to finish,
has been valuable in shaping our offering and ensuring we provide the quality experience that our customers expect. It was great to work with the grading team and gain ideas and knowledge from their expertise.”
ALMOST £115,000 is being invested in making the city greener as part of A Bolder Vision for Belfast, thanks to Belfast City Council and the Department for Infrastructure Blue Green Infrastructure fund. Belfast City Council’s ‘Grey to Green’ initiative invited the city’s businesses, social enterprises, charities, and schools to submit expressions of interest in a fund to support temporary green projects in the city centre, and the successful applicants have now been confirmed. The Conservation Volunteers has been granted meanwhile use of a section of the Belfast Stories site on Royal Avenue to develop a publicly accessible community garden, using polytunnels, raised planters and vegetable beds for a period of around 18 months. During this time, the environmental charity will also deliver an extensive engagement programme, working with range of minority groups, including adults and young people struggling with mental health issues. Killultagh Estates is creating a Living
Wall at 32-38 Linenhall Street; a vertical greening project on the façade of a prominent nine storey office building, in the heart of Belfast city centre. Maritime
Belfast Trust will deliver
the Queen’s Quay Greening Project, transforming a vacant area of land into an attractive green space through planting and helping to improve connectivity and wayfinding on the Maritime Mile. And Belfast South Community Resources will be creating ‘Sandy Glade’ on a derelict site at the corner of Sandy Row and Wellwood Street, planting a glade of native trees and pollinator shrubs and a living green wall, landscaping the glade with ornamental sand and gravel areas.
Belfast City Council Invites Public To Get Involved in 2024 Programme
THE £5.9 million Belfast 2024 programme builds upon the council’s existing support for culture and arts, and invites citizens to get creative, through an exciting mix of new cultural commissions and people- led programmes between March and November, reflecting the city’s creativity, diversity and vibrancy. Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Ryan Murphy, says Belfast 2024 will be shaped by the people of the city and marks the start of
a brand new chapter for how people view and experience culture and arts in the city. “Belfast City Council already has a strong track record of over 30 years supporting our arts sector. It’s now time to move up a gear, by combining must-see activities and grassroots, community-led programmes to create something that is absolutely unique to Belfast, focusing on our three themes – People, Place and Planet,” he explained.
For more information visit
belfast2024.co.uk
Belfast City Council’s ‘Grey to Green’ initiative follows a call for expressions of interest to Belfast based small businesses, community groups and schools to create a temporary city centre social farm or garden for a period of around 18 months. The demonstrator project on a section of the Belfast Stories site forms a key action arising from last August’s Belfast Healthy Cities
‘Greening the City’
workshop and are part of the ‘Greening the City’ Advisory Group’s ongoing work. For further information, go to www.
belfastcity.gov.uk/greytogreen and www.
belfastcity.gov.uk/boldervision
Ballyscullion Park Book Festival To Take Place in May
THE inaugural Ballyscullion Park Book Festival, 11- 12 May 2024, has officially launched. Taking place in the historic Ballyscullion Park, situated on the shores of Lough Beg, it is a celebration of literature, music and art in the heart of Seamus Heaney country. The programme will feature a range of writers, musicians and historians exploring a wide variety of topics from the 18 th century to the present day.
The inaugural festival is inspired by the
period in history when the original Earl Bishop of Derry’s Palace was built at Ballyscullion Park in 1787 as well as the current owner’s, The Mulholland family’s connection to acclaimed authors Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. Across the two days, visitors to the festival will enjoy talks and Q&As from eminent writers and historians exploring topics such as the surrounding landscape, gardens, historical personalities, literature, ideas and how
people lived. Authors and talks include international best-selling author Emma Heatherington on the importance of setting in fiction writing, historian Dr Andrew Gailey on Sheridan’s Scandalous Granddaughters, academic Sophia Hillan on Jane Austen’s Nieces in Ireland, Irish writer, teacher and member of Aosdána Carlo Gébler plus many more. Authors will be on hand between talks
for a chat and to sign copies of their books. There will also be a book shop available to purchase books. For
ticket details and nearby
accommodation providers visit https://
www.ballyscullionpark.com/book-festiv
al/#BallyscullionParkBookFestival.
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