Foster kicks off £1.2million Northern Ireland tourism campaign in Great Britain
Tuesday, 13 October 2009Tourism Minister Arlene Foster has launched a £1.2million tourism marketing initiative to promote Northern Ireland in Great Britain (GB).
The Tourism Ireland (TI) campaign is set to commence over the coming weeks to help boost the local tourism industry, now and into the early months of 2010. It will also complement and reinforce Tourism Ireland’s extensive Autumn Marketing Campaign in GB, which started in late August.
Addressing industry bodies at the launch in Belle Isle Estate, County Fermanagh, the Tourism Minister said: “The £1.2million marketing initiative will provide a promotional boost to attract tourism from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
“It will focus on making Northern Ireland stand-out from its competitors by highlighting the wide range of culture, festivals and local food on offer, along with the genuine warmth and welcome of the people here.
“The campaign will also bring value for money to the forefront, maximising the benefits of the current exchange rate.”
The Minister reaffirmed her commitment to growing the local tourism industry and believes it can play a major role in Northern Ireland’s economic growth.
Arlene Foster said: “While Northern Ireland has been the best performing region of the UK in recent years, it and the global tourism industry continues to be hit by the worldwide recession. Outbound travel from Britain to Western Europe declined by 15.2% between January and July this year. Meanwhile, travel from GB to Northern Ireland, declined by 17% in the first six months of 2009. GB however remains Northern Ireland’s largest and most important market.
“The new Tourism Ireland campaign will reaffirm Northern Ireland’s commitment to tourism and by investing in marketing campaigns during the bad times, we can help the region to hold on to its market share and position it to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.”
The new £1.2million campaign will also seek to promote Northern Ireland through co-operative marketing activities with industry partners including Belfast Visitor Convention Bureau, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Stena Line amongst others. Tourism Ireland also has a programme in place to enhance the engagement between the Northern Ireland tourism industry and the British travel trade and travel intermediaries.
Commenting on the additional marketing activity, Niall Gibbons, Chief Executive, Tourism Ireland said: “This new campaign enables us to extend and strengthen consumer marketing activities to year end as well as setting up new inter-trade activities to help industry secure vital business opportunities for 2010.
“2009 has proved to be one of the most challenging years in the last decade for tourism to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and worldwide. Consumers dramatically cut back on their holidays and their spend and it has been a rough ride for everyone involved in tourism.
“Recent economic data suggests that the US and key European economies including France and Germany are emerging from recession albeit at a marginal pace but nevertheless, a positive sign for the start of a recovery next year and beyond.”
Notes to Editors:
1. Tourism Ireland is in the process of finalising a review of the British market, initiated earlier this year, and will launch a new marketing strategy and action plan in early December which will be rolled out across Britain in 2010.
2. For media enquiries, please contact DETI Press Office on 028 9052 9297. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Connect with US
