Belfast's Tourism Potential "Remains High" Despite Pandemic

The potential to grow Belfast’s tourism remains high and is both “feasible and necessary” to the city’s post-Covid recovery, a Belfast City Council committee has heard.

Release time : 2020-12-11 10:39:40

source : Nitravelnews

The potential to grow Belfast’s tourism remains high and is both “feasible and necessary” to the city’s post-Covid recovery, a Belfast City Council committee has heard.

Members of the Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee were this evening (Wednesday) updated on Council’s 10 year tourism plan for Belfast, and have agreed to carry out a public consultation next year once the final draft plan has been submitted for their approval.

The plan has been aligned to Council’s cultural strategy, recognising the importance of a thriving and varied cultural scene to attracting and growing tourism. It is also focused on delivering the tourism priorities set out in the Belfast Agenda, as well as providing strategic context to the Belfast Region City Deal, and supporting economic and social recovery post-Covid.

Councillor David Brooks, chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, said the positive trajectory we were experiencing pre-Covid identified tourism growth as both feasible and necessary - this remains the case; and in a post-Covid world, it has renewed significance as we work to support the tourism and hospitality industries on their recovery journey, and ensure there is a sustainable model in place that will secure jobs and further growth.

“Our cultural and tourism strategies have been aligned because we know that a strong and authentic cultural scene helps to drive tourism and attract visitors, which in turn leads to job creation within the local economy, and this inclusive growth is crucial to our city’s recovery post-Covid and our future resilience.”

A recent report by Ernst and Young assessing the potential impact of Covid-19 on the city identified Belfast as an important attractor for international, high value tourists to the region.

An analysis of regional statistics revealed that spending by tourists in Belfast outpaced the Northern Ireland average