Minister signs off Causeway coastal route

Almost 400 new signs have been erected to highlight all the places of interest along the beautiful Causeway Coastal Route.

The Causeway Coastal Route will lead visitors from the centre of Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway and further on to Londonderry with the option to visit inland scenic sites. The signs provide an important link between two of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s other Signature Projects, the Titanic Signature Project in Belfast and the ‘Walled City of Derry’.

Tourism Minister Nigel Dodds said: “The Causeway Coastal Route is one of the key driving routes in Northern Ireland and the new signage will encourage visitors to experience and enjoy all of the scenic attractions within the Causeway Coast and Glens region.

“The route will lead visitors to inland scenic areas, bringing increased visitor numbers and tourism revenue to a wider geographical area.”

The Causeway Coastal Route is a key recommendation underpinning the Causeway Tourism Masterplan. The coastal orientation route includes several inland scenic loops and will act as a catalyst for sustainable tourism development within the region.

Alan Clarke, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, said; “The spectacular beauty of the Causeway Coastal Route has been praised around the world by travel writers and in travel guides. We want to make sure that our visitors truly appreciate the scenery that awaits them all the way between Belfast and the North West. The new signage will help them to do that, thereby spreading the economic benefits of tourism further around the area.”

A total of 396 signs have been installed between Belfast and Londonderry, together with three additional gantry signs.

The signage cost a total of £700,000 and has been primarily funded by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in partnership with the Causeway Coast and Glens Regional Tourism Partnership. Ten local authorities, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey, Larne, Moyle, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady and Derry City Council each contributed £7,000.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Causeway Tourism Masterplan 2004-2013 aims to spread the economic and social benefits of tourism throughout the whole geographic region of the Causeway Coast and Glens. The Masterplan is part of the wider NITB Causeway Signature Project which aims to achieve international stand out for the area and demonstrates a partnership approach between the public, private and community sectors.
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