Dodds - tourism sixty years on and sixty years stronger

Sixty years on from the formation of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and tourism here is in better shape than ever.

That was the message delivered by Tourism Minister Nigel Dodds at the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s 60th anniversary event. The Minister said: “We have never been in a stronger position to maximise the contribution tourism can make to the Northern Ireland economy.”

He continued: “Our tourism sector accounts for 3.5% of Northern Ireland’s Gross Value Added and supports almost 30,000 full time equivalent jobs which puts it on a par with agriculture - traditionally seen as the mainstay of our economy.

“Our five Signature Projects offer immense variety and through Tourism Ireland’s offices in fourteen key tourism markets, and focused marketing and product development through NITB at home, we can develop a thriving tourism industry.

“In looking to the future we have set ambitious targets for tourism over the next three years when we aim to increase visitor numbers by 25% and the amount they spend by 40%. I would encourage the tourism sector to work together to grasp this exciting opportunity to make Northern Ireland a truly world class destination.”

Alan Clarke, NITB Chief Executive, said: “Our sixtieth anniversary has given us the opportunity to reflect on, and pay tribute to, all the hard work of the tourism industry here over the past six decades. There has never been a more exciting time in the industry and the next decade will be crucial for NITB and its partners to position tourism at the centre of a dynamic, competitive economy.”

Today’s event was attended by tourism industry leaders past and present including Tom McGrath CBE, Dr Billy Hastings OBE, and former NITB chairmen Lord Rathcavan and Roy Bailie OBE.

The Minister launched a commemorative booklet, produced by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, that charts the past six decades of the tourism industry from the heady days of the 1950s and 1960s, through two decades of lost opportunities during the troubles, and a return to growth from the late 1980s. The booklet is available on the Northern Ireland Tourist Board website.

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