Tourism Providers Urged To Think Like Tourists

Local tourism providers have been urged to think of tourists and put themselves in their shoes in a bid to improve visitor experiences in Northern Ireland.

According to NI's Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster, competition in tourism increases year-on-year and the quality of the visitors' experience is becoming paramount.

Tourism providers have been encouraged to examine their tourism offerings to see where improvements could be made.

Minister Foster said:"Much of the secret of success comes from seeing the service we have to offer through the eyes of the tourist rather than our own. Put yourself in their shoes and think what you want when you are a visitor. Most people want similar things like helpful information, a friendly smile, courtesy and value-for-money.

"We need to ensure that the visitor is at the heart of everything we do. By learning how to make the visitor’s experience of local attractions, facilities and services the best that they can be, we can shape the future of tourism here."

The Department of Enterprise hopes that by investing in the tourism industry up to 50,000 people throughout Northern Ireland will be employed in some aspect of the industry in the next decade.

(LB)