Tourism spending in district rises to £90m

Tourism spending in district rises to £90m

THE number of overnight visitors to the district is on the increase, new figures have revealed.

New data on Northern Ireland’s thriving tourism market shows big jumps in revenues in two council areas outside Belfast, including Newry, Mourne and Down.

Predictably, the Giant’s Causeway remains the Province’s most popular attraction, but spending from overnight trips in the local council area rose by 47% last year to £90m.

Figures for all 11 council districts are compiled annually by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Across the Province, there were 17 million overnight stays, contributing an estimated £926m to the economy last year.

Tourism NI says the visitor statistics provide a clearer picture of where visitors are taking overnight trips in Northern Ireland and are evidence of the increasingly strong performance of popular sites.

The rise in overnight stays across the district will be welcomed by Newry, Mourne and Down Council tourism officials who are working to make the district Ireland’s number one visitor destination.

Work is also ongoing to increase the number of overnight stays in the area, with council officials no doubt buoyed by the latest figures.

Two of the district’s flagship events — the international Festival of Flight held in Newcastle and the district-wide Patrick’s celebrations — generate several million pounds for the district’s economy.

Council officials are keen to increase the number of international visitors to the district and to work alongside Tourism NI and other partners in a bid to attract more major events.

It is hoped the development of more signature events will create a positive return for the district in terms of bed nights and spend and attract more international visitors to the area.

Local authority chairman, Mark Murnin, is delighted the number of overnight stays across the district is on the increase.

“Newry, Mourne and Down Council has always recognised that tourism is a critical economic driver in the region, which is why it made the commitment within its corporate plan in 2015 to be the premier tourism destination on the island of Ireland,” he continued.

“The organisation has taken a number of strategic steps in order to achieve this status. Our tourism strategy recognises that today’s visitors, particularly those from out-of-state, want to see much more than just the local sights.

“They are looking for a higher level of engagement; a way to connect with the people and the essence of a place. They want an emotional connection and an opportunity to get off the beaten track. They also seek authentic experiences that enrich their lives and create lasting memories that they can talk about and importantly share amongst their peer group.”

The council chairman said over the past three years, the local authority has been actively working with the tourism industry and its partners in government to create these experiences and build the area’s profile as a premier tourism destination. 

“The development of new festivals under the so-called giant adventures brand, in tandem with established events, demonstrates the scale of our ambition to host world-class epic moments, drawing on our mountains and coastline and those stories unique to us.

“We have developed a new way of working with the industry in our region through a unique visitor experience plan which is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. This has been the outcome of extensive consultation with business operators and agencies. The plan helps to unite the unique visitor experiences in our district in a way that highlights their distinctive attributes while establishing a strong market position for the area.”

He added: “The 47% growth in the district’s tourism revenue demonstrates that these steps are clearly paying off and the tourism market is responding to the measures that we have taken to date.”

Cllr Dermot Curran, a member of the local authority’s Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Committee, has welcomed the increase in the number of overnight visitors to the district.

He said the area is blessed with a number of attractions and believes that key to increasing the overnight visitor numbers is increased hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation.