January 2025


www.nitravelnews.com Tourism NI Presents Distilleries with Spirit Trail Plaques


THE LOCAL TOURIST | 61


Belfast Streets Rank Among UK's Top Hidden Gem Streets


BELFAST is home to two hidden gem streets that offer the perfect backdrop for capturing one-of-a- kind photos. Joys


Entry, narrow with


just 1,100 Instagram hashtags, is a quaint and


dotted with cosy pubs, giving a true sense Belfast's historic Nearby,


alleyway of


charm. Commercial


Hastings Hotels Employee Recognised as an Inspirational Leader


AN employee from Hastings Hotels has been celebrated as a pioneering leader in making remarkable contributions to environmental, social and governance initiatives within the hospitality sector at a national awards event in London. Raymond Duncan,


the Group


Compliance, Operations & Procurement Manager at Hastings Hotels was named Inspirational ESG Leader of the Year at the 2024 Inspirational Leader Awards organised by HOSPA,


the Hospitality


Professionals Association. The gala awards event, took place


in the Royal Lancaster London Hotel, and aims to celebrate leaders from all corners of the UK hospitality industry from technology through to revenue management. Raymond was pioneering


a made leader remarkable commitment to


recognised who


demonstrating has contributions to


Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives within the hospitality industry,


responsibility and ethical governance, driving impactful


sustainability, changes


acknowledged that


benefit both the environment and the community. He was


practices, inspiring for his


visionary approach and inspirational leadership which set a high standard for integrating ESG principles into business


his


peers and advancing the hospitality industry’s commitment to a sustainable and equitable future. James McGinn, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels said:


“We are


absolutely delighted that Raymond has received the prestigious recognition and named Inspirational ESG Leader of the Year. This award celebrates the incredible work he carries out across Hastings Hotels that enables us to lead the way, foster meaningful change and set new benchmarks for sustainability. Over the last number of years


Raymond has been pivotal in the significant strides we have been making in our sustainability strategy across our six hotels. He is responsible for our ESG initiatives across the group and has implemented a series of sustainability initiatives and also


played a key


role in ensuring that our three Belfast hotels achieved Silver Green Tourism accreditation and is


actively


working to secure the accreditation for the remaining properties. We are incredibly proud of


which continue to inspire us all to work together towards a brighter, sustainable future.”


his contributions more


Fermanagh Resort Sweeps The Boards at Annual WeddingDates Awards


LOUGH Erne Resort has swept the boards at the annual WeddingDates Awards. The awards, now in their 15th year,


recognise the top wedding venues across the UK and Ireland. The Fermanagh-based


luxury resort


won five categories including Top Rated Wedding Venue in the UK, Top Wedding Venue in Northern Ireland


and Top


Wedding Venue in County Fermanagh. It was also recognised as Top Rated


5-star venue in the UK and WedPro Venue of the year. Wedding Dates is the leading portal for


wedding news, trends and reviews. The awards are based on the reviews received from happy couples who tied the knot in 2023 or 2024. Lough Erne Resort General Manager,


Gareth Byrne paid tribute to the entire resort team who consistently go above


and beyond in their pursuit of customer satisfaction. “Weddings


are incredibly special


occasions that create life-long memories. We are really privileged to be entrusted with the responsibility of working with so many wonderful couples to deliver that really, special day.


To have been


recognised by our clients in this way is simply amazing. “Lough Erne Resort is also a past winner


of ‘UK’s Top Rated Five Star Wedding Venue’ for a third year running – accolades that are especially valued as they too are based on votes from wedding couples across the UK.” The idyllic


exceptional dining and has become the wedding venue of


resort is renowned for its choice for


foodies,


with its celebrated culinary team who are responsible for creating an exquisite dining experience for wedding guests.


exceptional social


Visit Belfast Marks 25 Years of City Tourism Growth and Transformation


TOURISM Northern Ireland has presented 13 distilleries around Northern Ireland with a special plaque in recognition of their participation in the NI Spirits Trail.


Launched in March 2023, the


trail is made up of 13 unique visitor experiences. Visitors can pick up a `Distillery Trail Passport’ at any of the stops and collect stamps as they explore the breadth and quality of our spirit-led experiences. The distilleries featured include


on the trail Kircubbin,


Distillery, Donaghadee, Echlinville Distillery,


Copeland Rademon


Estate Distillery, Crossgar, Hinch


Distillery, Distillery, Distillery, Boatyard


Ballynahinch, Killowen while ensuring Newry,


Woodlab Distillery,


Dungannon, The Enniskillen,


Wild Atlantic Distillery, Castlederg, Old Bushmills Distillery, Bushmills, Titanic


Distillers, Belfast,


McConnell’s Distillery, Belfast, Two Stacks Irish Whiskey, Newry, and the Walled City Brewery, Derry. Building on the continued success


of the NI Spirits Trail, Tourism NI has presented each participating distillery with a special plaque, recognising


their contribution to


the trail and guiding visitors on their next adventure. It is hoped that the plaque will strengthen the collective brand of the trail,


the distilleries


receive continued visibility as part of a sustainable tourism initiative that benefits all regions across Northern Ireland. Gary Quate, Food and Drink


Tourism Manager at Tourism NI said: “These plaques


businesses’ commitment to offering an


authentic,


highlight the tourism-driven


experience as part of a broader visitor initiative. “By displaying the plaque, businesses


not only encourage


more engagement with the trail, but also give customers confidence in the quality and authenticity of their experience.”


as


VISIT Belfast has officially marked the 25th anniversary since its foundation, celebrating a quarter of a century of Belfast’s development as a leading international tourist destination. Once lumped with Beirut, Baghdad


and Bosnia as one of the four ‘B’s international travellers should avoid by global travel bible Lonely Planet, Belfast has


enjoyed unprecedented, record


tourism growth following a major shift in global perceptions and billions of pounds of investment.


Embarking on a new tourism journey of


growth, Visit Belfast was first established by Belfast City Council as the Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau (BVCB) in 1999. At the time, Belfast had just 600 hotel


bedrooms, 400,000 staying visitors, £80 million spent in the local economy and the first cruise ship arrival, contributing around 17 percent to Northern Ireland’s tourism economy. By 2023, Belfast had around 5,000 hotel


bedrooms, 1.7 million overnight visitors, a record 159 cruise ships and 100 conference business


events. Tourism in Belfast


contributed £539m to the local economy, almost 45 percent of Northern Ireland’s total tourism impact.


Court (1,500 hashtags) offers a lively yet off-the-beaten-path experience, with vibrant murals,


twinkling lights,


and colourful umbrellas that come alive at night.


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