New report highligts NI tourism potential

Head of corporate banking for Barclays in Northern Ireland, Adrian Doran.

Spend on retail, hospitality and leisure is set to significantly increase as overseas visitors travel to Northern Ireland over the next few years, according to a new report from Barclays.

The research, independently commissioned for Barclays’ Retail and Hospitality & Leisure sector teams, reveals that spending from foreign tourists is predicted to reach £314m by 2017, an increase of 33 per cent on 2013 (£236m).

It is expected that overseas tourists will spend £148m on hospitality and leisure, an increase of 32 per cent from £112m in 2013. Overseas spend on retail is also expected to rise by 37 per cent to £126m (from £92m in 2013).

Adrian Doran, head of corporate banking for Barclays in Northern Ireland, says that major sporting events over the next few years should attract more overseas visitors to the province:

“In addition, Northern Ireland’s growing reputation within the film and TV industry and the incredible popularity of the Titanic Visitor Centre will further help to bolster tourism and contribute to predictions for an increase in spending by overseas tourists,” he adds.

Overseas tourist spending on accommodation is predicted to increase from £52m to £68m by 2017, a rise of almost 32 per cent, and Adrain referred to the many new planning applications that are already being submitted and approved as evidence of increasing confidence in this high growth sector.

The research shows that visitors from the Republic of Ireland (RoI) account for the greatest proportion of spend in Northern Ireland’s foreign tourist industry (47.9 per cent in 2013). It is predicted that spending from overseas visitors to Northern Ireland in 2017 will come mainly from the RoI (38.8 per cent); the USA (13 per cent); Australia (three per cent); the Netherlands (2.8 per cent); and Canada (2.5 per cent).

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster described the research as “very encouraging” , and added:

“Events such as the UK City of Culture, the Irish Open and the World Police and Fire Games have attracted visitors from across the globe and have provided the momentum which has enabled us to secure successful bids for this year’s Giro D’Italia Big Start and the Irish Open in 2015 and 2017.

“We are also benefitting from the heightened profile provided by TV and film companies increasingly choosing Northern Ireland as a backdrop for their productions, with HBO’s smash hit series ‘Game of Thrones’ currently the subject of a global tourism marketing campaign. I am confident our tourism industry can look toward a bright future.”