June 2026


www.nitravelnews.com THE LOCAL TOURIST


Visit Belfast Announce Strategic Partnership with Galgorm Collection


VISIT Belfast has announced a major tourism partnership with leading hospitality group, Galgorm Collection. The five-year strategic partnership between Visit Belfast


and elevating global maximising economic impact Galgorm


Collection will focus on increasing visitor numbers,


the


visibility and across


region. The partnership marks a pivotal


advancement in Visit Belfast’s ongoing strategy to forge collaborative alliances with key industry stakeholders. The initiative


is aimed at ensuring Belfast remains


competitive and thrives on the international stage.


Galgorm Collection will play a vital role


as a strategic partner, enhancing Visit Belfast’s initiatives to promote the city and region internationally. The partnership will leverage Galgorm’s


extensive portfolio of hotels, spa facilities and restaurants, integrating them into a


comprehensive destination offering,


particularly within the luxury and experiential tourism sectors.


BEANOTOWN is set to land at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens this summer. Taking visitors on a ‘blam-azing’


adventure, the event will take place from 27th June to 31st August offering a time-twisting trail through the 100- acre estate.


Dennis, Minnie, Harsha, Rubi and Gnasher’s end up in trouble in their go-kart time machine and make a crash-landing in Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.


Pieces Castle of the time


machine end up scattered across the gardens. Visitors will recieve a special Hillsborough


Beano comic


strip story and have to find all of the components for the time machine. Throughout their journey , guests meet larger-than-life


characters


from Hillsborough’s history – from a young Lord Hillsborough to Benjamin Franklin, who famously visited in 1771.


Ireland’s First Whiskey Hotel Awarded Four Stars by Tourism NI Roberts,


THE Harbourview Hotel in Carnlough, Ireland’s first ‘Whiskey Hotel’ has been awarded four stars by Tourism NI’s Quality Grading Scheme. The Tourism NI Quality Grading Scheme is


a major commendation, giving visitors a clear view of the standard of accommodation, service and cleanliness they can expect. During the assessment The Harbourview


Hotel was commended for the professional finishes on all 35 bedrooms, the hotel’s customer service and culinary offering and the warmth and friendliness of the team. The hotel’s whiskey room was found to


be “superb, unique addition to the hotel which will be greatly enjoyed by guests and


Popular Belfast Hotel Celebrates 20th Anniversary


THE Merchant its 20th anniversary


Hotel celebrates this


year,


marking two decades of luxury hospitality in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. The hotel opened in spring 2006 in the former


historic Ulster Bank headquarters and has played a defining role in Northern Ireland’s hospitality. Over the years, The Merchant has played a


key role in raising standards across the wider hospitality


sector, helping to position Belfast


as a destination capable of delivering luxury experiences on an international level. Owner Bill Wolsey recalls, “We were told it wouldn’t work… that Belfast


wasn’t ready, but we believed that if you deliver exceptional service in exceptional surroundings, people will respond.” “We studied the best hotels in London, Paris,


and New York to understand what makes them successful,” “We trained our staff to those standards, while


encouraging people to show their personalities. Initially, we sent staff abroad to learn—now those same hotels send their staff to us. When we opened in the Cathedral Quarter the footfall in the area on a Saturday night was around 300, now it is 15,000. This all shows how far we’ve come.” General Manager Gavin Carroll spoke on


the classification that remains exclusive to The Merchant in Ireland:


“Achieving the AA Five Red Star status was a


defining moment, it demonstrated that we could stand alongside the very best hotels in the world.” “To be celebrating this milestone is a testament


to the unwavering dedication of our incredible team and the loyalty of our guests, for the last two decades every team member has taken great pride in curating personalised luxury


experiences, and we look forward to building on this legacy in the future.” Bill Wolsey, reflecting on the hotel’s 20th


milestone, “It makes me feel proud. Proud of the hotel


and proud of our team. Many employees have been here for 10, 15, even 20 years, and across the company up to 35 years. That consistency creates pride and ensures great service. Beyond the décor, food and drink and getting that right, it’s the people and the service that define us.”


Green Light for On-site Park- ing Strengthens Future of Game of Thrones Studio Tour


passing visitors alike”. David


Director of


Titanic Belfast Welcomes Milestone Visitor


THE LOCAL TOURIST | 51


Beanotown Comes to Hillsborough Castle & Gardens this Summer


Strategic


Development at Tourism NI, said: “Tourism NI is delighted to award The Harbourview Hotel a four-star grading. The hotel is a fantastic part of the Antrim Coast accommodation offering due to its mix of history, location, and theme which offers visitors from near and far a unique whiskey experience during their stay. “The staff


are to be commended for


their warm hospitality and giant spirited welcome. This grading is not only testament to the significant investment in this hotel but also reflects the dedication of the entire team. We wish them the best of luck.”


GAME of Thrones Studio Tour, Banbridge receives approval for a permanent


150-space


on-site car park. The carpark will be designed


exclusively for visitors and will allow for parking directly adjacent to the Studio Tour. The


attraction February has


operating without on-site parking since


2022, with


visitors having to rely on shuttle transport to access the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. Despite this, it has still accelerated


demonstrated growth.


This marks a major step in


growth as it aligns infrastructure with demand. Sam


Harding,


Director of Game of Thrones Studio Tour, added: “We have seen exceptional growth over the past 12 months, driven by strong demand,


international interest


and the continued global appeal of the Game of Thrones franchise. “This


investment in


infrastructure ensures we are now in a position to fully capitalise on that momentum; and shall open the door to increased group bookings, self- drive, tour operator partnerships and corporate activations and an


experience Studio.”


overall greater customer when visiting the


Managing been


TITANIC Belfast has reached a major milestone, welcoming its 10 millionth visitor since the visitor attraction first opened its doors in 2012. Brianna Hubbert, along with her husband Matt, who


travelled from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, were given a VIP welcome by staff at Titanic Belfast to celebrate this historic occasion. Brianna


and Matt are celebrating their 10th


anniversary by exploring the UK and Ireland and were recommended to visit Titanic Belfast. Both have had an interest in Titanic since childhood and appreciate the close connection between Titanic and Canada, when many of Titanic’s passengers were recovered to Halifax and laid to rest. Titanic Belfast officially opened to the public on


31st March 2012 to mark the centenary of RMS Titanic. Since then, it has firmly established itself as a must-see attraction on the local, national and international stage. With 54% of all visitors travelling from outside the


UK and Ireland, Titanic Belfast has generated over £70 million in additional spend per year for the Northern Ireland economy. Speaking about this milestone, Titanic Belfast’s CEO,


Judith Owens MBE said, “This is a hugely significant day for everyone at Titanic


Belfast. Not only are we celebrating our 10 millionth visitor, but we are also recognising how far we have come in establishing Titanic Belfast as a globally recognised, must-see attraction. “When we opened in 2012, we were proud to share the


story of Titanic and to invite visitors to Belfast to discover where the iconic ship was designed, built and launched. Since then, Titanic Belfast has demonstrated how a major tourism investment, driven by passion and belief can act as a catalyst for economic growth and help positively position a destination on the global stage. “As our visitor numbers continue to grow year-on-


year, we are seeing particularly strong growth from North America, with 1.25 million visitors welcomed since opening. With a notable increase from the Canadian market, it is especially fitting that Brianna and Matt join us today as our 10 millionth visitor and are also celebrating their own 10th anniversary.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64