TOURISM NI taps into Game of Thrones set
With Northern Ireland on a con- tinued push of the Game of Trones brand as a means to increase tourism in the country, offi- cials are calling for the set of the show’s ice wall to be turned into a permanent visitor attraction. In reality a disused cement
works in County Antrim, The Wall – a 300 mile (483km) ice wall which separates Westeros from the north’s Wildlings, White Walkers and giants – is a key part of the books and television series. Local councillors have asked
show producer HBO to leave the set behind once filming is com- pleted so the site can be used as part of its ongoing Game of Trones tourism drive. Te site would work particularly well as a tourist attraction as there are already plans in place to carry out a wider development of the area for recreation once filming is complete. “To have the set there would be the icing
on the cake,” said East Antrim MP, Sammy Wilson. “It is a magnificent site and it would be a massive tourist attraction. Te number of buses and people who stop to try and get a view of it is an indication of that.” Tourism Ireland teamed up with HBO and Game of
Te Wall is one of the focal points of Game of Trones
Trones, in April for a 14-week campaign to promote Northern Ireland around the world in 2015, drawing fans of the series to the country to see the signature sites. Among the sites fans can visit, Northern Ireland includes The Iron Islands (Ballintoy Harbour), The Stormlands (Cushendun Caves), Te King’s Road (Dark Hedges), Winterfell (Castle Ward) and Robb Stark’s Camp (Audley’s Field). Northern Ireland’s tourist board offers a
prominent rundown on the filming loca- tions and where to find them on its website. Details:
http://lei.sr?a=z6k2C_O
Tube strikes a ‘nightmare’ for tourism
The London Underground strike which paralysed much of the capital’s transport network on 6 August was likely to have a major impact on tourism busi- nesses, according to one of the industry’s most senior figures. Ufi Ibrahim, who is CEO
of The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has said the 24-hour action against plans for an all-night tube service on weekends was a “nightmare” for tourism and said businesses would be significantly affected. Tube workers are con-
BHA chief Ufi Ibrahim wants forthcoming strikes to be called off
cerned that running an all-night service will be detrimental to work/life balance and require extra hours on weekends. Tere have been reports that unions will “escalate action” as the scheduled start date for the service (12 September) approaches, but Ibrahim believes the strike action should be called off. “London’s economy is heavily reliant on its fast and reliable public transport network to
© CYBERTREK 2015
move around the capital’s residents, tourists and visitors,” she said. “Strike action espe- cially during busy summer months is a real nightmare for our hotel, restaurant and visitor attraction members who have to maintain high standards while facing the staff short- ages and unpredictable customer footfall resulting from the transport challenges.” Details:
http://lei.sr?a=G6q5K_O
Twitter: @leisureopps Read Leisure Opportunities online:
www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 13
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