76 | THE LOCAL TOURIST


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Tourism NI Welcomes Record £1.2 Billion Visitor Spend


Ballyhoura Walking Festival & Joyce Brothers Music Festival 2024: A Celebration of Nature, Culture, and Community


BALLYHOURA Country is once again set to come alive with the spirit of adventure and culture, as the much- anticipated Ballyhoura Walking Festival and Joyce Brothers Music Festival return for their 2024 editions. Taking place from Thursday, October 3rd, to Sunday, October 6th, these festivals offer a unique blend of outdoor exploration and musical celebration, drawing visitors from across Ireland and beyond. Celebrating its 28th year,


NEW figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) – the first Northern Ireland (NI) annual tourism statistics since 2019 and the Covid pandemic – indicate visitors to Northern Ireland spent a record £1.2 billion in 2023.


This spend was generated from 5.4 million overnights trips taken in the region, 60% of which were taken by those from outside of Northern Ireland. On average, visitors


the £1.2 56% was the Ballyhoura


Walking Festival is Ireland’s longest- established walking festival, inviting walkers of all levels to discover the beauty and history of Ballyhoura landscapes. This year’s programme is packed with an exciting variety of walks, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Many of the walks are led by members of the Ballyhoura Bears Walking Club, who have in-depth knowledge of the area and its heritage, history, flora and fauna–and are suitable for all abilities, from the enthusiastic well-equipped walkers who relish a challenge to the gentle ramblers who are out to enjoy a pleasant stroll. For the fourth year in a row, the Walking is


Festival


Brothers Music Festival, which complements and enriches the walking programme with its own jam-packed schedule; it promises a weekend of music, song,


history and


workshops, celebrating the wonderful legacy and remarkable lives of brothers PW and Robert Dwyer Joyce, natives of Glenosheen, who were renowned for collecting and documenting Irish music and songs.


spent outside of


Popular Belfast Indian Restaurant Gets £500k Facelift


BELFAST’S renowned


Nu Delhi Lounge, an iconic 150-seater Indian restaurant, has undergone an impressive £500k refurbishment, cementing its position as the leading dining destination in the city.


collaborating with The Joyce Belfast. Domestic trips (by


NI residents) accounted for the highest proportion of overall


trips in the region,


at 40%, with Great Britain residents accounting for 27%. There was an unprecedented number of


visitors stayed 3.1 nights and


spent £224.44 per overnight trip in the 12-month period. Of


billion spend, from the


Republic of Ireland in 2023, with these accounting for almost one-quarter of all trips during the year. Tourism NI’s Consumer Sentiment Research found that the majority of ROI visitors said their trip matched or


exceeded expectations,


with the range of places to eat & drink and the welcome; hospitality being particularly highly rated. Local Government District


figures, also published today by NISRA, show the benefits of


tourism are experienced


across the north, with 69% of visits in 2023 taken outside of Belfast. Today’s NISRA figures also reveal that hotel room occupancy in Northern Ireland was 64% in 2023. STR hotel


data indicate high average daily hotel rates for 2023. In addition, in 2023, there were 5,845 tourism businesses operating in Northern Ireland, of these, 77% were outside the Belfast city council area. John McGrillen, CEO of NI,


Tourism


very pleased with the latest tourism statistics


said: “We are released


today which indicate that the industry has recovered very successfully from the impact of the COVID pandemic. “The results we are seeing


today is the result of the great collaboration between Government, the tourism agencies, local councils and the tourism industry over the past four years in delivering the Tourism Recovery Action Plan drawn up in response to the devastation of the pandemic. “Whilst it’s difficult to make


direct comparisons with 2019, the fact that overnight spend by tourists has reached an


estimated £1.2bn in 2023


represents a very impressive performance given the many challenges the industry has faced in recent years.” Mr McGrillen added: “The statistics would suggest


September/October 2024


that


business from the GB market, which is extremely important to the NI tourism industry, has now fully recovered. “This performance creates great platform for future


a


growth, particularly given that the volume of flights between Irish airports and international markets levels.”


now exceed


Cast and Creative Team Announced for Grand Opera House Pantomime Adventures


BELFAST’S Grand Opera House has announced the cast and creative team for its high-flying 2024 pantomime, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan. Guaranteed to be a Christmas


treat


for all ages, Northern Ireland’s biggest pantomime has already sold a record number of 50,000 tickets. Audiences can expect a swashbuckling


trip to Neverland like never before with this year’s production spectacularly brought to life from page to stage by a talented cast and creative team. The Pantomime Adventures


of


Ballygally Castle Unveils New ‘Sauna by the Sea’ Experience


HASTINGS Hotels latest immersive experience at Ballygally Castle is perfect for those looking to rejuvenate their body and mind. The four-star hotel, nestled along the stunning Antrim Coast, has launched a ‘Sauna by the Sea’ overnight package that combines an invigorating blend of cold-water immersion and soothing sauna therapy with a relaxing overnight stay. Guests are invited to embrace


the


refreshing chill of the Irish Sea, with a sea dip just steps away from the hotel, equipped with cozy dry robes, slippers, and a warm beverage. Afterwards,


retreat to a beachfront


sauna provided by local partner, Scenic Sauna, where the warmth and views of the


rugged coastline


create a truly unique wellness experience. Upon return to the


castle, they can enjoy a fireside relaxation moment, followed by a rejuvenating hot shower and overnight stay in Hasting famous bespoke ‘cloud’ beds. A hearty full Irish breakfast awaits first thing in the morning, ensuring a satisfying start to their day. Building on the success of last year’s popular ‘Sea Dips & Hot Sips’ experience, this new package


encourages guests


to make the most of Ballygally Castle’s breathtaking location on the Causeway Coastal Route.


Peter Pan features the


traditional Grand Opera House pantomime hallmark of thrilling song-and-dance, beautiful costumes, dazzling staging and effects and barrel-loads of laughter. Belfast’s much-loved pantomime dame,


May McFettridge stars as Mrs Smee and celebrates her record-breaking 34th Grand Opera House panto season this year. Joining May on stage are Belfast panto Paddy


favourites Jenkins, part of the


Oscar-winning cast of An Irish Goodbye, as Starkey, comedian Adam C Booth, as Smee, Jolene O’Hara, who returns to the Grand Opera House


pantomime after


a stand-out performance as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,


Sharkey, who also delighted in


role of Snow White in last year’s panto, as Wendy. They will be joined by Belfast’s Jordan Walker as Peter Pan and Georgia Brierley-Smith as Tink.


as Captain Hook, and Aisling the title


2019


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