60 | THE LOCAL TOURIST


West End Star Recalls ‘Wicked’ Memories Along Causeway Coast


WEST End star Rachel Tucker has revealed her journey to stage and screen stardom began during a short break in Ballycastle. Rachel Tucker is the latest guest on Discover


Northern Ireland’s podcast, Postcards from Northern Ireland, hosted by Ralph McLean. Rachel, who played Elphaba in Wicked


on the West End and Broadway, has fond memories of holidays along the causeway coast. Rachel said: “My daddy was a singer and


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he always got me into singing as a kid. On a Saturday or Sunday he would bring his banjo out and we would listen to him sing. “The first time that I remember doing


karaoke was in my daddy’s friend’s caravan. I was about six and it was the first time that I could see people sitting up and going ‘Oh, she can sing!’.” Rachel also discussed how Newcastle,


in County Down, holds a special place in her heart. She said: “You can’t beat the Hotel and


Burrendale I


childhood memory of taking part in a singing competition there one summer, which I won. That gave me confidence for my career.” Rachel, who now lives in London,


also explained why she feels it is so important to enjoy nostalgic breaks in Northern Ireland with her family. She said: “Because my summer holidays were so magical, I want Ben to see what I was brought up with.” During


the episode Rachel also


discusses why performing at Belfast’s Grand Opera House holds such a special place in her heart. Across


the series, Ralph McLean


sits down with local famous faces to explore how our giant spirit, people and landscapes have inspired their most treasured getaways and nurtured a love


of discovering what’s on our doorstep.


NI’s Game of Thrones Studio Tour Sees 94% Surge in Growth Since Opening


A derelict property renovated and transformed into a spacious coastal luxury home in the heart of Portrush has been awarded five stars by Tourism Northern Ireland’s Quality Grading Scheme. Victoria House hosts six double bedrooms, generous living areas,


and


amenities for a comfortable stay. An assessment


of restoring


accommodation found the work carried out by the owners in


the building


was “remarkable” with the property’s location described as a


providing “superb


guests with opportunity to


explore the beautiful beaches, coffee shops and restaurants within easy walking distance”. It


found the six bedrooms had


been “very tastefully finished” with the addition of a new Open Golf 2025 artwork in the property “sure to be a talking point for future visitors”. Deborah Avery, Senior Certification and


Grading Officer at Tourism NI, said: “We are delighted to award Victoria House a five-star grade. This is a very well-deserved


GAME of Thrones Studio Tour has recorded it’s strongest year-on-year growth since its opening over four years ago. They have reported that visitor numbers have increased by 94% and ticket revenue rose by 61% in January 2026. The attraction has grown through it’s alliances


with organisations Warner Bros., including Magic Memories, Visit


Belfast, Tourism Ireland, EI Travel, Tourism Northern Ireland, Sky, and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council have helped increase visibility and attract visitors from key international markets. Their investment in marketing, and


digital platforms, visitor experience has


also contributed to stronger performance. As well as renewed global interest in the Game of Thrones franchise, including the forthcoming HBO prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Almost 48% of guests where international


visitors from over 64 different countries with the largest amount being from the United States, Germany, France, Spain and Australia. The success reflects the appeal of Game


of Thrones, highlighting Northern Ireland’s role as home of the series, where much of the original production took place. Sam Harding, Managing Director, Game


of Thrones Studio Tour, said: “Recording our strongest year-on-year growth since opening is an important milestone for the Studio Tour and is a result of our team, partners and stakeholders’ collective efforts. “These results show the impact of that


work, and we expect continued interest as new HBO productions bring renewed attention to the Game of Thrones universe.”


Hinch Irish Whiskey Celebrates Major Win at Whiskey Awards


HINCH Irish Whiskey Single Malt was named Best Irish Small Batch Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards Ireland 2026. The award represents an important milestone


both for Hinch Distillery and for Emma Millar in her new leadership role, highlighting the craft and consistency behind the liquid. The awards were announced at a ceremony held at the InterContinental Dublin on 26 February 2026,


bringing together leading


figures from across the Irish whiskey industry to celebrate the year’s achievements. Emma Millar, Head Distiller at Hinch Distillery,


said: “This award reflects the care and attention that


goes into every stage of our whiskey making process. Having worked closely with the Single Malt over the past five years, it is especially rewarding to see it recognised in this way so soon after stepping into the role of Head Distiller. It highlights the importance of understanding the influence of cask maturation and allowing each whiskey to develop its own character over time.” Hinch’s 15 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish was


also named Best Irish Blended Limited Release (13 to 20 Years), while the distillery’s 5 Year Old Double Wood Madeira Cask Finish was recognised as a Category Winner in the 12 Years and Under section. Dr Terry Cross OBE, Chairman of Hinch Distillery, added: “To see


Hinch Irish Whiskey Single Malt


recognised at this level is a fantastic achievement and reflects Emma’s contribution over the past five years. This award is a strong early endorsement of her leadership as Head Distiller and highlights


the guest modern


award for Tanya and Mark and the superb restoration of this once derelict house to create a beautiful six-bedroom self-catering property, within the centre of Portrush and close to the towns’ beautiful East Strand Beach, is remarkable. “The restoration project was a true labour


of love for Tanya and Mark and their outstanding dedication


to ensuring


a high-quality finish and superior levels of guest comfort are commendable. “We wish them great success


with Victoria House.” Owner Tanya Young said: “Restoring this once-derelict property and bringing it back


to life as a 5-star retreat has been an incredibly rewarding journey. From the very beginning, we’ve focused on creating a space defined by quality, comfort and


thoughtful attention to detail. “Being part of the grading scheme means


a great deal to us, as it provides independent recognition of the standards we work hard to uphold, gives our visitors confidence when booking, and reinforces our commitment to excellence in everything we do.”


Tourism NI Host Roadshow in Newry for Tourism Providers Across the Region


TOURISM NI hosted their increase


Hinch’s growing reputation on the international stage. “It reflects the expertise of our distilling team


and our continued focus on combining traditional Irish whiskey making with a contemporary approach to maturation and character, as we further build Hinch’s reputation both at home and in global markets.”


latest Innovative


Tourism & Regional business clinic in Newry and was aimed at supporting tourism providers keen


to update their visitor experience, visitor value and


strengthen


sustainability and resilience. Tourism NI’s roadshow took place at the


Canal Court Hotel and Spa and was attended by various tourism providers across the region. Attendees had the


opportunity to take


part in an Innovate Tourism 2026 ‘Insight to Impact’ workshop held by Jaqueline McCann, Founder of Roll Innovation.


It focused on


Building Visitor Value for 2026 and aimed to support long-term sustainability including how their experience, pricing, operations and delivery model can be strengthened. Tourism providers also had


the


opportunity to take part in a Business Clinic where they could participate in one-to-one appointments with Tourism NI teams from Marketing, Experience Development, Regions, Accommodation: Quality & Standards and Events. Carolyn Boyd,


have a


April/May 2026


‘Remarkable’ Coastal Property Awards 5 Starts By Tourism NI


Industry Development


Manager at Tourism NI, said: “We are delighted for the opportunity to support innovation in tourism. Our industry is continually proving to be the most creative and inspirational sector. The high level of engagement at our clinic gave Tourism NI the opportunity to meet with industry at the very start of 2026 and help them seize all the opportunities open to them.”


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