Foster: Quality customer service is vital ingredient to grow tourism industry

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster believes Northern Ireland must provide top quality customer service in a bid to attract more tourists.

The Minister was speaking as she opened the annual Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) Visitor Servicing Conference at the Lough Erne Golf Resort in Enniskillen.

The theme of the conference was ‘Creating Unique Visitor Experiences’ and aimed to highlight and address the key issues in relation to customer service.

Around 140 delegates working across the tourism industry, from hotels and tourist information centres, to local authorities and the education sector listened to a range of speakers including those from the Disney Institute, Florida, Guinness Store House, Dublin and urban regeneration body, ILEX.

Opening the conference, Arlene Foster said: “The Northern Ireland Executive has set demanding targets for tourism - to attract 2.5 million visitors and increase tourism revenue to £520million by 2011.

“In today’s challenging economic environment, Northern Ireland must take advantage of the opportunities offered by the sterling exchange rate. We must focus on our strengths and compete more aggressively to attract visitors. We have so much to offer, with vibrant cities, first class hotels and superb leisure facilities, set in stunning scenery.”

The Minister, however, stressed the need to focus on quality customer service to set Northern Ireland apart from competing destinations. She said: “Caring for our visitors and offering them top quality customer service are vital ingredients that can help us to grow our tourism industry by providing unique and lasting memories for tourists.

“Research by NITB has consistently shown that the local appeal and friendliness of the Northern Ireland people are features that set us apart. We must exploit this. Government, its agencies and local tourism providers must continue to work together to maximise our potential. We must attract increased numbers of leisure and business visitors and give them all a reason to return to here in the future.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Conference speakers are: Mr Tom Madden – Representative from the Disney Institute Florida – Quality Control Manager. Tom has worked for the Walt Disney World Resort since 1986 and throughout the 1990's he provided leadership for themed restaurants in Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom. In 1999 he joined the Disney Institute as a facilitator for business programmes. Tom has also undertaken a number of special projects at the Walt Disney World resort including the hosting of media groups, travel industry professional and children’s groups during press events and special celebrations. In 1993 he served with the highly successful Heart of Florida United Way campaign as a loaned executive.

Mr Matt McNulty – Board Member ILEX. Matt McNulty has held senior appointments in the Governmental, public service and private sector of Ireland and abroad in areas of Tourism, Economic Development, Urban Renewal and Heritage. He served as Director General of Tourism for Ireland during which period he planned and led the reorganisation and restructuring of Ireland’s tourism. He has helped to lead strategic planning programmes for tourism growth and development in Jordan, Oman, Bahrain and UAE and served as principal international tourism advisor to the implementation of USAID assisted programmes in the Middle East. In the urban renewal of Dublin he has headed two of the principal Government bodies that have planned and executed the urban renewal of central Dublin. In 2008 he was appointed as a director of ILEX, the public company established to plan and implement the major urban renewal of the City of Derry.

Mr Ken McIlroy – Blue Badge Tour Guide. Ken McIlroy runs KM Tour Guiding Services which specialises in providing an extensive range of guiding services to visitors to Northern Ireland from all over the world. Services include customised tours, literary themed tours, conference tours for delegates and spouses and blue badge and bilingual guides. He works widely with the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau (BVCB) where he is guide of choice - particularly for VIP groups. He has also served as a board member of BVCB and has helped with developing scripts and research for tours. As well as his guiding work he has had three anthologies of poetry published, written short stories for BBC Radio and is a well known after dinner speaker.

Ms Catherine Keegan – Guinness Store House Manager. Catherine Keegan hails from Northern Ireland but now lives in Dublin. She is employed by Diaego as the Visitor Experience Manager at the Guinness Store House in Dublin.

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