London office opened to promote Ireland's tourism potential

Tourism Ireland has opened new offices in London’s Wigmore Street, off Oxford Street, to further promote Northern Ireland as a destination for Great Britain's tourists.

Speaking at the event, NIO Finance Minister Ian Pearson said that Great Britain was "our biggest and most important tourism market", providing well over half of all overseas visitors to the island of Ireland. The tourism sector in Northern Ireland is buoyant as provisional figures for the first nine months of 2002 indicates a 15% increase in visitors to the province. During the same period, figures for visitors to the island of Ireland as a whole are likely to show an increase of 7%. This year, visitor numbers from Great Britain to Northern Ireland should top 1.3 million.

Mr Pearson said: “Given the huge challenges that lie ahead, in terms of international tourism and the uncertain world in which we all live, the industry in Ireland is going to be looking at and depending on Great Britain to continue to provide the lion’s share of the business.

“Impressive as these figures are, we cannot sit on our laurels. There is an ambitious target of a further 5% growth for 2003. If this target is achieved, this would bring the total number of visitors from Great Britain to the island of Ireland to nearly five million - an additional 230,000 visitors over 2002.”

For Northern Ireland the main priorities are short breaks from close to home markets, especially from Scotland and the North of England. Activity holidays have performed strongly in the past, particularly golfing and angling. Key to increasing tourists from Great Britain will be efficient and quick access by air and sea.

The Minister added: “Tourism Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board will be working closely together to ensure that the number of tourists from Great Britain is maximised and, along with the industry, will ensure that the tourists will have a wonderful and memorable experience from their visit to Northern Ireland.

“However, to increase visitor numbers we must be competitive. High standards must be maintained and, importantly, we must offer value for money.”

The Republic of Ireland’s Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O’Donaghue, TD, was also on hand for the office's ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Trade Ireland was launched in December 2001 and the company’s role is to promote the island of Ireland as a tourist destination in a number of overseas markets.

(GMcG)