Belfast to get £1.2m marketing push

A major new £1.2 million marketing campaign aimed at challenging traditional perceptions of Belfast has been launched today.

Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau (BVCB), supported by Belfast City Council and additional public and private sector organisations, will centre its campaign on a new television advertisement which will target 25 to 40-year-olds by focusing on the experience of exploring the city.

The ad builds on the successful ‘Belfast Better Believe It’ campaign launched earlier this year and features young people shopping in CastleCourt, enjoying the luxurious surroundings of the Hilton Belfast Hotel, eating out in some of Belfast’s best restaurants and clubbing in the city’s top nightspots.

Commenting on the campaign, Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of BVCB, said: “More and more people are coming into the city from other areas of Northern Ireland, whether for shopping, eating out, or taking in some of our excellent visitor attractions.

“Last year the number of visitors staying overnight in Belfast rose by 25% to almost a million and this campaign is part of a continued aggressive marketing strategy designed to encourage that trend.

“The campaign is a reflection of Belfast’s growing stature as a destination of choice, particularly in the short breaks market.”

With an initial launch in Northern Ireland, additional carrier campaigns supported by Stena Line are running in Scotland with planned activity supported by Flybe and Easyjet in the North of England.

An adapted version is also scheduled to launch in the Republic of Ireland in January, aimed at promoting the fresh face of a vibrant city to visitors from across the border who may not be aware of how much Belfast has changed and developed.

(MB/GMCG)