Tourism Ireland has welcomed the figures for overseas visitors to Northern Ireland for the first half of 2017, issued by NISRA (the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) today (Thursday October 19). The figures indicate that 973,000 overseas visitors travelled to Northern Ireland in H1 2017, representing a rise of 4% on H1 2016. Holiday visitors grew by 8% and revenue from overseas visitors to Northern Ireland grew by 11% (£255+ million).
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said, “Overseas tourism delivers about £543 million per year for the Northern Ireland economy, helping to sustain valuable employment in local communities, and I am pleased to report that sentiment in general for 2017 from our tourism partners overseas (including tour operators and carriers), as well as our industry partners here at home (including hoteliers and visitor attractions), suggests that growth from overseas continued into the high summer and autumn seasons.
“This was a good first half performance. We’ve been rolling out an extensive programme of promotions throughout 2017 to highlight Northern Ireland around the world, leveraging our connection with Game of Thrones and showcasing iconic experiences like Titanic Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway and our unique National Trust properties. We also continue to promote Northern Ireland as a top golf destination, in particular the fact that the 148th Open is set to take place at Royal Portrush in 2019.”
