Tourism Northern Ireland

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼- 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 🗓 Tourism Northern Ireland is delighted to partner with Innovate NI once again to deliver our next wave of Innovate Tourism regional roadshows taking place next week, 5th – 7th November, in Omagh, Antrim and Newry. These sessions are open to all in the NI Tourism & Hospitality industry. Over 30 Tourism businesses have now received an Innovation Recognition, with 100% of previous roadshow participants committing to take positive action within their business as a direct result of attending. Join us at one of our upcoming sessions to learn more about the importance of innovation for your business, what innovation means in a tourism context, and how to turn your ideas into tangible added value for your business. When and Where? These workshops will run from 10am – 2.30pm*, including a working lunch, and will take place across three locations as follows: ➡ Tuesday 5th November: Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh ➡ Wednesday 6th November: Dunadry Hotel, Antrim ➡ Thursday 7th November: Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry *Please note timings are provisional and subject to change Why attend? Innovation is the key to staying competitive and relevant in the ever-evolving tourism landscape. These are interactive “learning in action” workshops which aim to help you understand the importance of innovation to ensure your business thrives. Join us for one of the above sessions to hear more about: The Innovation Fundamentals of the Innovate NI Framework through immersive, hands-on activities. ➡ Support to effectively recognise and capture innovative work and achieve official innovation recognition. ➡Help and guidance on how to avail of the wide range of innovation support available from a range of partners. ➡ Skills and methods to optimise your current offerings, transforming your business into an innovation powerhouse. ➡Local industry colleagues who have now achieved Innovate Tourism recognition - sharing first-hand their innovation story so far, and the potential business benefits of starting an innovation journey. Who should attend? Open to NI Tourism and Hospitality businesses, of all size and scale, who want to learn how to grow and succeed in a busy and highly competitive market. Don’t miss this opportunity to boost your business through innovation. Visit https://lnkd.in/etxMUk3W to book your place. Innovate NI Invest Northern Ireland

Aine Glendenning from Todds Leap Activity Centre, shares her story about why she loves her job in the tourism and hospitality industry. How working in the sector has increased her confidence, developed her skills and the passion her and her colleagues have working in the industry.   You can get involved with the Make it Here campaign: ▶ Let us know your stories – do you have fantastic employees that fit our target audiences? What are you doing differently in your business to attract, retain and challenge perceptions of working in Tourism & Hospitality? ▶ Share your job vacancies with us to see how we can support with expanding reach. ▶ Use the Make It Here Campaign assets on social posts, web pages and posters ▶ Use #MakeYourCareer on any social media comms to amplify the campaign ▶ Demonstrate your commitment as an Employer. Sign up to the Wellbeing & Development Promise   Visit https://lnkd.in/eV4zs9aj to get involved.   Interested in a career in tourism or hospitality? Visit www.makeyourcareer.co.uk to find out more about our Make it Here campaign and the opportunities available.   #makeyourcareer

Tourism Northern Ireland has supported an event in Dublin to showcase the North as a world class travel and business destination. Hosted in partnership with Belfast City Council, the gathering was attended by Department for the Economy NI Minister Conor Murphy, as well as media, tour operators and existing and new potential hotel developers in the Republic. The showcase, which included a dinner reception at the James Joyce Centre followed by a showing of `Agreement’ at the Gate Theatre, aimed to strengthen all-island relationships and forge new partnerships between the tourism industry in the North and the travel trade in the Republic, as well as potential investors and the media. During the month of October, the Lyric Theatre in Belfast has been presenting `Agreement’ at the Gate Theatre Dublin. Written by Belfast playwright Owen McCafferty, the play is based around the negotiations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Speaking at the showcase, Minister Murphy said: “Tourism is truly a success story of the peace process. While peace has itself brought new visitors to the north, our political history also forms part of our unique offering. “Since the Good Friday Agreement the number of overnight visitors to the North of Ireland has more than quadrupled. Spending by visitors has increased more than six-fold.  Many tourism experiences are outside of the main urban centres so the growth of the industry has helped to spread the peace dividend throughout the region. The rise of tourism also opened up what was a very closed society to new people and new cultures.”   Ellvena Graham, Tourism NI Board Chair, said: “Relationships between the North and the Republic of Ireland have never been stronger and events such as this provide the perfect opportunity to strengthen those partnerships, network with potential investors and grow programmes with tour operators. “We are committed to supporting businesses in the south who want to grow their operations in the North and as business and trade tourism is a major driver of growth in visitor spend, reinforcing all-island relationships will only strengthen that offering.” Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Micky Murray said: “It’s so good to see Belfast’s Lyric Theatre and Owen McCafferty’s award winning play ‘Agreement’ showcased at the Gate Theatre during the Dublin Theatre Festival, thanks to a partnership between Belfast City Council and Tourism Northern Ireland. “I look forward to further opportunities for cultural exchange between our two great cities. There’s significant opportunity for Dublin and Belfast to build on our cultural destination reputation and profile together.” Visit https://lnkd.in/eY9Cr9jF for the full press release.

Tourism Northern Ireland was delighted to support a tourism trade engagement event in Co Derry this week. Organised by Mid Ulster District Council, the `Meet the Experts’ gathering was aimed at tourism and hospitality businesses across the council district. The more than 30 industry who attended the event heard from a range of key speakers who provided insight into current tourism global trends and offered advice and guidance on business growth, driving success and how to attract visitors to the region. Attendees also explored partnership programmes, advertising and marketing opportunities and publicity and media opportunities, in both the business-to-business and business-to-consumer spaces. The information day also included a networking and peer learning opportunities. Businesses also learned about Tourism Northern Ireland’s E-learning platform, explored Discover NI, the Go Succeed programme and TXGB (Tourism Exchange GB), an online booking platform. Speakers at the event included a number of Tourism Northern Ireland representatives including David Roberts, Director of Strategic Development, Naomi Waite, Director of Marketing and Carolyn Boyd, Industry Development Manager. Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience and Industry Development, at Tourism Northern Ireland, also took part in a panel discussion which explored issues including the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), VAT and the importance of being a value for money destination. Other organisations involved in the event included Tourism Ireland, Innovate NI and ProfileTree - Web Design and Digital Marketing. Councillor Wesley Brown, Deputy Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, said: "This event was an excellent opportunity to bridge the gap between expertise and the community, fostering learning and growth. "Events like this are crucial for unlocking the potential within our community and cultivating forward-thinking ideas that drive success.” David Roberts, Director of Strategic Development at Tourism Northern Ireland, said: “The Tourism Northern Ireland team was delighted to take part in the `Meet the Experts’ event. "Tourism is identified as a key pillar in the economic strategy for the area so it is crucial that we take opportunities like this to provide an overview of the work Tourism NI is currently undertaking and how we are working to build a high-performing sector. "During this event, the team were able to explore issues including our new online learning platform, our work around people recruitment and retention, and our marketing campaigns. "Equipping the tourism sector to be more innovative, sustainable, and inclusive is key to the future success of the sector and the team at Tourism NI team are on hand to guide, advise and support where we can.” Further details about Mid Ulster District Council's Economic Development, Tourism & Strategic Projects is available at www.midulstercouncil.org

Check out our industry opportunities this Autumn 🍂 Our next wave of Innovate Tourism regional interactive workshops in partnership with Innovate NI are running from 5th – 7th November. The roadshows are open to all Tourism and Hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland and aim to demonstrate how innovation is key to business growth. Taking place in the following locations: ➡Tuesday 5th November: Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh ➡Wednesday 6th November: Dunadry Hotel, Antrim ➡Thursday 7th November: Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry Visit Innovate Tourism Roadshows for more information and register your place. Get Ready for The 153rd Open - Webinar Information Session. We are holding an information session on Monday 4th November for tourism, hospitality and accommodation businesses across Northern Ireland. Visit Registration to find out more and register your place. In addition to this, the latest phase of our Make it Here campaign is live. We want to hear your career stories and why you love working in our industry. To find out more about how you can get involved visit Make it Here! Careers in Tourism & Hospitality | Tourism NI and share your story. Other opportunities include access to MyTourismNI, E-Learning platform, becoming bookable online, our Autumn Marketing campaign and understanding what visitors from the Republic of Ireland are looking for and how you can maximise opportunities from this market. Make sure you have created your account at Sign up with Tourism NI to access these resources and sign up to our mailing list.

Congratulations to The Dundrum Inn in Co Down which has been awarded a four star accommodation grade by Tourism Northern Ireland's Quality Grading Scheme. Established in 1834, The Dundrum Inn, which is located on Main Street in the picturesque village, has been sympathetically restored with many of the original features retained. Further details about Tourism Northern Ireland's Quality Grading Scheme is available at tinyurl.com/udc8dd7w

Tourism Northern Ireland was delighted to support 20 local industry at the annual Flavours of Ireland event in London this week. Economy Minister Conor Murphy also attended the business-to-business workshop, which took place in the Guildhall. Considered a highlight in the travel trade calendar, Flavours of Ireland provides industry from the island of Ireland with the opportunity to highlight and sell their tourism product and build valuable relationships with the global inbound buyers with the aim of influencing future programmes. During the event, which was hosted by Tourism Ireland, NI industry had the opportunity to connect with more than 100 top global inbound tour operators. Department for the Economy NI

Tourism Northern Ireland recently launched the second cohort of its Sustainable Business Pathway Programme. Fifteen Tourism and hospitality businesses from around Northern Ireland have signed up to take part in this innovative programme that aims to inspire collective sustainable action across Northern Ireland while helping businesses achieve cost savings. Partnering again with The Tourism Space® to deliver this programme, it will enable participants to develop a Sustainability Action Plan and lead in sustainable experience development with the aim to supporting the businesses to be equipped with the relevant knowledge, skills and metrics to progress in achieving a third-party sustainable accreditation. Upon completing the programme, each of the businesses will receive a certificate of completion and join a network of businesses committed to enhancing Northern Ireland's sustainability. Additionally, 13 businesses have opted to further accredit their learning and obtain a Level 4 Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Practice in Destinations from Ulster University The businesses taking part include: Maritime Belfast Trust, Eastside Tourism, Hillyard House Hotel, Flip Robinson, Antrim Estates Company, Glenarm Castle, The Green Holiday Cottages, Magheramorne Estate, Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, Taste & Tour, The Harrison, The Perch North Coast, The Walled Garden Helen’s Bay, Willow & Lore, Whitehead Railway Museum and Willowtree Glamping Mournes. Jessica Hoyle, Experience Brand Manager at Tourism NI welcomed the group for their first session held at Cultra Manor, part of National Museums NI who participated in Cohort 1 of the programme. “It has been a pleasure to gather the second cohort of the Sustainability Programme together today to kick-off the first module exploring the concepts of sustainable and regenerative tourism. These sessions are a fantastic opportunity to enhance networking and collaboration with the participants as well as share ideas and best practice. The Sustainable Business Pathway Programme recognises that attaining third-party accreditation for sustainability can be complex and therefore offers a structured and supportive step by step programme for businesses to learn more on all aspects of sustainability including communicating the attractive offer of their business, place and community. We look forward to continuing with the cohort and ultimately enhancing the destination with a growing number of sustainably focused tourism operators.”

Tourism Northern Ireland recently welcomed the Embrace a Giant Spirit Council Ambassador Group to Seamus Heaney Homeplace. This collaborative group, which meets quarterly, is focused on enhancing the visitor experience and driving product development across Northern Ireland, sharing best practices, and promoting the wider adoption of the Northern Ireland – Embrace a Giant Spirit brand across the 11 local authority regions. The session commenced with insights from group chair Jessica Hoyle, Experience Brand Manager, who provided strategic updates on Tourism NI’s Embrace a Giant Spirit Experience Portfolio and upcoming industry programs. Mary McKeown, Tourism Manager for Mid-Ulster, offered an in-depth look at tourism development across the Mid-Ulster region, while Liz Steele, Culture & Heritage Manager at Tourism NI, shared key themes and initiatives within the Culture, and Heritage tourism sector. To finish the day, the group enjoyed a familiarisation tour of the host venue, Seamus Heaney Homeplace, to build product knowledge across the wider destination and share successful approaches to experience development.

Tourism Northern Ireland CEO John McGrillen was delighted to support the World Luxury Awards 2024 at Galgorm Resort last night. Considered the pinnacle of recognition for the global luxury hospitality industry, it is the second time the high-profile event has been hosted by the venue. Last week, a first awards ceremony took place at the Ayana Resort & Spa in Bali with Galgorm Resort chosen as the European host, staging a second awards gathering last night. The event attracted more than 200 guests including VIPs, luxury hotel, spa and restaurant owners from countries around the world as well as international media. Both gala evenings underscored the World Luxury Awards' commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence in the luxury industry while also providing a platform for industry leaders to showcase their achievements, share their stories and inspire others. As part of the wider awards, Tourism Northern Ireland also supported a destination event on Friday night. In a bid to showcase the region’s rich tourism offering, attendees visiting Northern Ireland for the awards ceremony were invited to visit Titanic Belfast and Belfast Distillery Company - McConnell's Irish Whisky to sample local produce, enjoy authentic entertainment and experience the region’s famous giant welcome. Colin Johnston, Managing Director of Galgorm Resort, said: “This event has truly highlighted what our region can offer, strengthening our commitment to promoting tourism and delivering exceptional experiences. “We’re proud to have showcased Northern Ireland’s outstanding hospitality, further enhancing its reputation as a premier destination for international visitors.” John McGrillen, CEO of Tourism Northern Ireland, who was among the guest speakers at the awards ceremony at Galgorm Resort, said: “The World Luxury Awards 2024 taking place at Galgorm Resort, along with the associated destination event, were wonderful opportunities for Northern Ireland to show what it has to offer to the luxury hospitality market worldwide. "The last time the awards were hosted at Galgorm Resort in 2018, attendees stayed an average of five days in the region and it is anticipated it will be the same this time around. "Having so many luxury operators from around the world visit Northern Ireland gives the region the opportunity to shine as the sustainable, inclusive and innovative year-round world-class destination that it is.”