Titanic Belfast has reached a major milestone, welcoming its 10 millionth visitor since the world-leading visitor attraction first opened its doors in 2012.
Brianna Hubbert, along with her husband Matt, who travelled from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, were given a VIP welcome by staff at Titanic Belfast to celebrate this historic occasion.
Brianna and Matt are celebrating their 10th anniversary by exploring the UK and Ireland and were recommended to visit Titanic Belfast. Both have had an interest in Titanic since childhood and appreciate the close connection between Titanic and Canada, when many of Titanic’s passengers were recovered to Halifax and laid to rest.
Titanic Belfast officially opened to the public on 31st March 2012 to mark the centenary of RMS Titanic. Since then, it has firmly established itself as a must-see attraction on the local, national and international stage.
As a signature tourism project which came out of the Good Friday Agreement, Titanic Belfast has played a key role in the resurgence of tourism not only for Belfast and Northern Ireland but to the island of Ireland as a whole. To date, it has welcomed visitors from 145 countries worldwide.
With 54% of all visitors travelling from outside the UK and Ireland, Titanic Belfast has generated over £70 million in additional spend per year for the Northern Ireland economy.
Speaking about this milestone, Titanic Belfast’s CEO, Judith Owens MBE said, “This is a hugely significant day for everyone at Titanic Belfast. Not only are we celebrating our 10 millionth visitor, but we are also recognising how far we have come in establishing Titanic Belfast as a globally recognised, must-see attraction.
“When we opened in 2012, we were proud to share the story of Titanic and to invite visitors to Belfast to discover where the iconic ship was designed, built and launched. Since then, Titanic Belfast has demonstrated how a major tourism investment, driven by passion and belief can act as a catalyst for economic growth and help positively position a destination on the global stage.
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“As our visitor numbers continue to grow year-on-year, we are seeing particularly strong growth from North America, with 1.25 million visitors welcomed since opening. With a notable increase from the Canadian market, it is especially fitting that Brianna and Matt join us today as our 10 millionth visitor and are also celebrating their own 10th anniversary.”
Kerrie Sweeney, CEO of Maritime Belfast Trust commented, “This is such a landmark day to be able to welcome the 10 millionth visitor to Titanic Belfast. It is fantastic to see so many people travelling here from across the global and exploring the story of Titanic not just within the visitor attraction but making the most of the Maritime Mile as a wider heritage destination.”
Eimear Callaghan, Head of Industry Development at Tourism NI added, “I would like to congratulate Judith and the entire team at Titanic Belfast on reaching this remarkable milestone. Titanic Belfast has played a transformative role in Northern Ireland’s tourism landscape, helping to drive significant growth and elevate the region’s international profile.”
Titanic Belfast was named the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the prestigious World Travel Awards in 2016/17. It is also the only attraction to have received a THEA Award twice for the same experience, most recently recognised following the completion of its Gallery Refreshment Programme in 2023.
To find out more about Titanic Belfast go to www.titanicbelfast.com