Tourism plan launched as US tour operators visit province

A group of leading tour operators from the US have returned to Belfast for a Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) seminar just as the tourist board launches its 2002-2005 Corporate Plan.

The group, led by Association President, Bob Whitley, is currently in Northern Ireland for a Grow Your Business Session organised by the Board.

Last year the same group was in Northern Ireland when the events of September 11 occurred.

During the seminar in the Wellington Park Hotel on Thursday, Mr Whitley presented an overview of the US market and then lead a prestigious panel comprising of some of the leading tour operators in the industry in discussion.

Although the year 2000 showed an increase in North American visitors on 1999, this was lost in 2001 due mainly to foot-and-mouth disease and the number of visitors fell from 148,000 in 2000 to 113,000 in 2001. No figures are available as yet for 2002.

Meanwhile, the NITB's Corporate Plan for the next three years will have its main theme as ‘Growing Tourism Together’.

Roy Bailie, NITB’s Chairman, explained: “We have consulted widely in preparing the plan and will continue to do so as we develop marketing and development strategies.

"Major themes emerging from the consultation include the provision of market intelligence, training, clarification of roles of various bodies, and events.”

The Corporate Plan has been produced against a background of evolving circumstances that have had a significant impact on the implementation of NITB’s policy. These include the Good Friday Agreement, the creation of Tourism Ireland, the review of the DETI agencies and creation of Invest NI, and the events of September 11 which have impacted significantly on the implementation of NITB’s policy.

(MB)