Sperrins Leisure Businesses Connect To Tourist Campaign

Four leisure businesses in the Sperrins have been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to embrace mobile communications technology that could help in attracting tourists expected to visit Northern Ireland as part of the NI2012 Our Time Our Place campaign.

The companies – Todd’s Leap, Ballygawley, An Creagan, near Omagh, Barrontop Fun Farm, Donemana, and The Jungle, Moneymore – pooled individual Invest NI Innovation Vouchers to develop NI Check IN, a smartphone app, with the help of the technology team at the South West College in Omagh.

The new app, which can be used on Apple's iPhones, makes it easier to access the wide range of leisure and activity facilities of the four Tyrone businesses. The NI Check IN app links to mini sites that detail the opportunities and special deals for tourists and local visitors. At the moment it links to the four partners, but in the near future it will link to all subscribing tourism companies.

The app, launched by Gemma Begley of Todd’s Leap and Catherine Morris from the South West College, was welcomed by Olive Hill, Invest NI’s Director of Technology and Process Development.

Mrs Hill said: “This is a unique and imaginative development for us; it is a good example of how a number of small companies can work collaboratively to solve a common business issue leading to a technology project that should bring substantial benefits to all the partners.

“The new app is designed to increase awareness of the comprehensive range of leisure and activity facilities that are now readily available in the Sperrins. A key target for them will be the thousands of additional tourists expected to visit Northern Ireland this year for events surrounding the Titanic Festival in Belfast, the Irish Open in Portrush and during 2013 when Londonderry will be the UK City of Culture and will also host the all-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil.

“This is the type of initiative which the Innovation Voucher scheme is designed to encourage. The companies were able to link up with the South West College to develop what has turned out to be a very attractive and user-friendly mobile website that can be used for information and for booking facilities at the four businesses.”

(CD)