Arlene Foster, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade, and Development, has recently proposed a number of ideas and initiatives to help stimulate tourism throughout Northern Ireland. It is her hope, and the hope of the administration, that tourism and the food industry can become the staples of the economy in the area. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board carries out a great deal of research to determine the interests of visitors to the area and works to create a marketing strategy that will help boost tourism.
Foster’s plans for 2010 include a ten year plan that will help provide a vision of the future of tourism in the area. Numerous pilot projects have been created that will help the Board learn how the industry can better improve the tourist experience for visitors. Projects proposed include the St. Patrick Christian Heritage Project as well as a number of other signature projects designed to help bring in tourists interested in learning more about the heritage of the area.
While the overall success of the plan will take years to determine, Foster is working to bring a tourism increase to the area in the very near future as well. The promotion of many historic churches as well as theatres and other attractions is high on the list of priorities for the board for the immediate future. Foster has highlighted 2012 as the key year for tourism to the area and is working to help increase interest in the Titanic celebration as well as the plantation period. It is also her hope that the Giant’s Causeway visitor center will be fully operational by this time.