by Richard Buckley, Editor, Business Eye

Northern Ireland’s newest force in tourism, the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance, has marked its first anniversary with its AGM and Members’ Meeting hosted at Belfast Metropolitan College in the city’s Titanic Quarter. The organisation channels the energy and vision of major private and public sector stakeholders across the diverse industry, creating a powerfully unified voice for tourism which ensures the sector is high on the government agenda and is recognised as a key economic driver to the NI economy.


Those priorities were evident in the agenda for the day as members from across Northern Ireland addressed the theme of Skills, one of the key challenges facing tourism and hospitality. They also heard presentations from Ciaran Doherty, Stakeholder Liaison Manager with Tourism Ireland and Tourism NI whose CEO, John McGrillen, formally presented the new experience brand for Northern Ireland, ‘Embrace the Giant Spirit’.

The round table discussions which followed gave members the opportunity to discuss the priorities facing the industry which will determine the action plan for NITA over the next twelve months.

Looking to the future: (from left) Joanne Stuart, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance; Luke Petheridge, Head of Public Affairs, ABTA; NITA Chair, Brenda Morgan; Howard Hastings, Chairman, Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Managing Director, Hastings Hotels, and Colin Neill, Chief Executive Officer of Hospitality Ulster and NITA Board member.

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