A new conference is kicking off a new week-long scheme aimed at shining a light on Northern Ireland’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Tourism NI, Hospitality Ulster and the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (NITA) have joined forces to officially launch Northern Ireland’s first Tourism and Hospitality Week.
The event, which kicked off on September 26 with the NITA Conference at ICC Belfast, will run until October 3 and is aiming to shine a spotlight on the importance of the sector to the local economy through a series of engaging events for both industry and the public.
“The Tourism and Hospitality industry is vital to Northern Ireland’s economy, and we’re excited to join together with our partners and key stakeholders to shine the spotlight on all our sector has to offer,” John McGrillen, chief executive of Tourism NI, said.
“We’re all working towards making Northern Ireland a year-round, world class destination renowned for authentic experiences, landscape, heritage and culture and which benefits communities and the environment.
“We have ambitious targets to grow the value of tourism over the next decade by giving visitors reasons to stay longer, spend more and spread value, and to play an even greater role in the economy by providing good jobs that help rebalance the economy.”
And Dr Joanne Stuart OBE, head of the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance said: “We are delighted that the NITA Conference, will be the opening event of Northern Ireland’s inaugural Tourism and Hospitality Week.
“This year’s global theme ‘Tourism and Peace’ sets the stage for a powerful exploration of Political Tourism – not just as a growth opportunity, but as a transformative force in interpreting conflict and uniting communities.
“Our other sessions promise to engage and inspire, including a deep dive into how local councils are driving regional tourism development to the thought-provoking look at pricing dynamics. We look forward to welcoming attendees to the conference which will provide a unique opportunity to reimagine tourism’s role in shaping a brighter, more united future for the region.”
Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster said: “It is hugely positive to celebrate our industry in Tourism and Hospitality Week that will provide a platform to reiterate some of the key opportunities and challenges for our sector. In particular, creating good jobs is a key priority for our members in Hospitality and the dedicated series of events during the week will help to showcase the ongoing work with our partners in further education to provide modern qualifications to create career pathways for people already in or with an interest in working in hospitality and tourism.”
The launch comes as the latest NISRA figures show that visitors to Northern Ireland spent a record £1.2bn in 2023, generated through 5.4 million overnights trips taken in the region.
The industry, which supports more than 70,000 jobs, is also one of the most geographically and socially dispersed sectors of the economy, with 70% of jobs located outside Belfast.