NI tipped as 'must see' country

Northern Ireland has today been tipped by Lonely planet as one of the "must see" countries to visit in 2007.

The province was featured in the Lonely Planet Bluelist's "Go List" section of its guide - a chapter dedicated to detailing the hot destinations for the coming year.

The co-founder of the Lonely Planet, Maureen Wheeler, comes from Belfast, and is full of praise for the country.

She said: "I love the city, its grittiness, its resilience and its beauty and I love how Belfast people turn every social interaction into an excuse for a party.

"The landscape of Northern Ireland is astonishingly beautiful, the people are warm and genuine, and yet it is still relatively undiscovered which makes it the perfect destination."

The guide stated that the country is "abuzz with life the cities are pulsating, the economy is thriving and the people, the lifeblood that courses through the country, are in good spirits."

Other destinations mentioned on the list are Beirut, Gabon and Xinjiang in China.

Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Alan Clarke, expressed his delight with Northern Ireland's mention of the List.

He said: "Northern Ireland has firmly established itself as a must see destination and its unique selling points are captivating visitors from home and abroad.

"The endorsement by the highly acclaimed Lonely Planet travel guide is a further boost to the tourism industry in Northern Ireland and we can only look forward with optimism to another successful year in 2007."

(EF)