� IN FOCUS l IRELAND Northern Ireland hails record visitor numbers


Record visitor numbers of nearly five million people in 2017 and strong figures at key attractions are among the highlights of Tourism Northern Ireland’s Annual Review. The report also details record expenditure of £926 million and visitors to Giant’s Causeway surpassing one million. Commenting on 2017, Tourism NI chief executive John McGrillen said: “It has been a really strong year for tourism. Collaboration and working directly with local businesses to get them selling on a global scale has delivered real impact.”


He also hailed Tourism NI’s Meet


the Buyer events, with hundreds of international tour operators meeting local businesses. “The event has improved year


New Zealand and Australia. Another key factor is Game


of Thrones that attracted more than 120,000 visitors in 2016, generating an estimated £30 million. Figures for January-March 2018


show visitor spending reached record levels of £180 million, up £13 million year-on-year. McGrillen added: “Lonely


on year as its reach and reputation extends worldwide,” he said. The 2018 event saw more than 5,000 sales appointments, with industry representatives meeting 200+ international operators from 22 markets including China, India,


Planet’s naming of Belfast and the Causeway Coastal Route as the number one region in the world to visit in 2018 was a particularly welcome start to 2018. “These early signs bode well for what will be another significant year for tourism. And next July the eyes of the world will be on Northern Ireland when the 148th Open, Royal Portrush takes place.” tourismni.com


Rail trail around Emerald Isle: Great Rail Journeys has an early booking offer on its 10-day ‘Enchanting Emerald Isle’ tour, which starts from £1,595 per person. The itinerary includes Cork, Blarney Castle, Kinsale, Killarney and the Celtic step show, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher (pictured), the Burren and Galway. The tour departs on selected dates between May and September 2019, and a discount of up to £60 is available when booking by October 31, 2018. greatrail.com


Waterford is a gem in Ireland’s Ancient East Visitors to the House of


Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford, offers visitors the chance to explore the country’s history, from Vikings to the Georgians. A key destination under the


‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ branding, the city is most famous for Waterford Crystal, founded in 1783.


Waterford Crystal can view skilled craftspeople at work, such as blowers, cutters, engravers and sculptors. Elsewhere, the city offers the chance to explore ‘1,000 years of history in 1,000 paces’ in the Viking Triangle, Waterford’s cultural and heritage quarter. It includes the stone fortress known as Reginald’s Tower, the Medieval Museum and the Bishop’s Palace.


The King of the Vikings – the


world’s first virtual-reality experience – can be found in an authentic Viking house in medieval Waterford.


20 TravelGBI | October 2018


w HBO reveals Game of Thrones Legacy plans Tourism Northern Ireland has welcomed news that TV company HBO plans to convert several Game of Thrones filming locations into tourist attractions. Called Game of Thrones Legacy, the attractions could open next year, featuring sets from the show such as Winterfell, Castle Black and Kings Landing, plus displays of costumes and props. tourismni.com”


w Event showcases NI to Irish and GB operators


More than 40 influential coach and group tour operators from the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England were hosted at Belfast Cathedral, as part of the annual Coach and Group Workshop, organised last month by Tourism NI and


Tourism Ireland. tourismni.com


w Tourist boards host 26 on trips and workshop


Twenty-six British coach and group tour operators explored Ireland in September as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. They attended a workshop in Dunboyne Castle Hotel, to meet Irish tourism businesses and negotiate


2019 programmes. tourismireland.com


w Spend a weekend in Dublin with Shearings


Beyond the city, the Comeragh


Mountains offer cycling, climbing and hiking, and the county of Waterford has a 100-kilometre coastline, with activities such as surfing, diving, fishing and wildlife watching. visitwaterford.com waterfordvisitorcentre.com


Shearings Holidays has added a four-day Dublin weekend break for 2019. Available on selected dates between May and July 2019, the trip includes three nights’ half-board accommodation, two trips into the centre of the city plus return flights


and transfers. shearingsagent.com


travelgbi.com NEWS IN BRIEF


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