Photos from Tourism Ireland's week-long promotion "Experience Northern Ireland, Titanic & More", which is taking place in the Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Station, where millions of New Yorkers have an opportunity to see it.
Joanne Byrnes and Ken McKinnon (NMNI)
with Minister Arlene Foster and Niall Gibbons
at the Titanic exhibit
The website, www.the-titanic.com was launched in New York's Grand Central Terminal at the end of the week's showcase, organised by Tourism Ireland in association with National Museums Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau.
Foster attended the reception with Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister, Nelson McCausland to promote the North as a "must see"
destinatio
n.
Speaking at the
lau
nch, Arlene Foster said the website will "showcase the full range of Northern Ireland related tourism
products to a broad range of potential visitors,
trade profess
ionals and travel journalists.”
The website features a series of short films a
bout the Titanic and the North.
Arlene Foster also highlighted the "exciting times" ahead for tourism in the North.
“Northern Ireland’s tourism package is conti
nually growing. The Titanic Signature Projec
t and the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre are due to come to fruition
in 2012, and we
must work tog
ether to maximise the opportunities
that exist,” she said.
Minister McCau
sland added: "This new Titanic website is an excellent way to
further tell the s
tory of the iconic ship whose centenary we will celebrate in 2012. The story wi
ll help inform people of the fact that Belfast was the birthplace of Tita
nic and of a great many other ships of that era.”
The Chief Executive
of Tourism Irelan
d, Niall Gibbons, said that the body's aim is to capitalise on the huge interest that exists among people aro
und the world and to remind potential holidaym
akers everywhere about Titanic’s connec
tion with Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Belfast-born actress Geraldine Hughes was MC at the reception in Grand Central Terminalfor top travel trade, media and corporate contactsfrom New York and the tri-State area
Tourism Minister Arlene Foster along with the Culture Arts and Leisure Minister, Nelson McCausland, traveled to New York for the opening of a week-long celebration entitled ‘EXPERIENCE Northern Ireland – TITANIC & MORE’. Arlene Foster also met with leading American business tourism contacts to promote investment opportunities.
The exhibition, from 24 to 29 September, has been organised by Tourism Ireland in association with National Museums Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau. It will be attended by leading airlines, travel trade, media and corporate contacts from the New York and tri-state area.
The showcase forms part of a Tourism Ireland three-year programme to raise awareness of Northern Ireland and its Titanic heritage in New York. The centrepiece of the event will be a Titanic exhibition, featuring a replica hull of Belfast’s most famous ship, including interactive storyboards and screens as well as illustrated talks and guides.
Speaking in advance of the exhibition, the Tourism Minister said: “Millions of New York commuters and visitors to the city will get a taste of what Northern Ireland has to offer as a unique and vibrant tourism and business tourism destination. The exhibition will showcase the very best of Northern Ireland culture, music, entertainment and food.”
The exhibition was a packed schedule of events, featuring top Northern Ireland performers with more than 50 partners attending, including top chefs, musicians, craft workers and tour guides.
Storyteller Liz Weir, Don Wilmont (Causeway Coast & Glens),Róisín Wallace (Manor House Hotels) and Brian Hurell (Ulsterbus Tours)
promoting the Causeway Coast
Arlene Foster added: “Tourism is now one of the most important indigenous industries in Northern Ireland and plays a chief role in our export economy. In the period 2002-2009, overseas tourism contributed over £2.1billion to the economy of Northern Ireland. During the current difficult economic period Tourism Ireland has embarked on a specific Northern Ireland marketing programme highlighting gateway cities with direct access, such as New York.
Acclaimed chefs Neven Maguire (MacNean House)
and Noel McMeel (Lough Erne Resort) are bringing the best of our culinary expertise to New Yorkers
Musical entertainment will be provided by Peter Corry, Kintra, Kabosh, the McPeake Family, USG Performin Arts Presenters and others. Food will feature strongly as acclaimed chefs Noel McMeel and Neven Maguire will bring the best of Northern Ireland culinary expertise to New Yorkers. There will also be a full programme of lectures, story-telling and other performances highlighting the many aspects of our unique Northern Ireland culture. Representatives of the tourism industry will bring the different counties of Northern Ireland to life for visitors to the exhibition.
Promoting Belfast’s maritime heritage are Susan Millar(Titanic Boat Tours), Susie McCullough (NITB),Robert Cusack (Go Global Travel Group),Wallace Lawson (Titanic Foundation Ltd) andDerek Booker (Lagan BoatTours
Culture and Arts Minister Nelson McCausland added: “This celebration includes many unique aspects of Northern Ireland culture and I hope that millions of New Yorkers, as well as visitors to this great city, will get a flavour of the real Northern Ireland as they pass through Vanderbilt Hall.
“The exhibition presents a marvellous opportunity to showcase the very best of what Northern Ireland has to offer visitors. People all around the world know something of the story of Titanic whose centenary we will celebrate in 2012.
"Less well known is the fact that Belfast was the birthplace of Titanic and of a great many other ships of that era. The design and building of the iconic liner confirmed Northern Ireland as a world leader in manufacturing and engineering.
“Today Northern Ireland is establishing a global reputation based on creativity and innovation. Our vibrant arts, music and film sectors together with a range of cultural and leisure offerings provide interesting opportunities for visitors and investors.
Commenting on the potential of the exhibition to bring Northern Ireland to the attention of a huge audience in New York, Niall Gibbons, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: A Titanic website has been unveiled in New York.
It will profile Northern Ireland and its shipbuilding heritage and aims to attract thousands of tourists.
In 2012 tourism chiefs will highlight the centenary of the ocean liner's Atlantic sinking which saw 1,500 lives lost in April 1912.
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: "We have an exciting promotional programme in the pipeline in the run-up to the Titanic centenary, which kicked off this week
with our major Experience Northern Ireland - Titanic And More showcase in New York.
"Our aim is to capitalise on the huge interest that exists among people around the world and to remind potential holidaymakers everywhere about Titanic's connection with Belfast and Northern Ireland."
The website will feature a series of short films promoting the link between the Titanic and Belfast.
Tourism Minister Arlene Foster and Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Nelson McCausland attended a reception to promote destination Northern Ireland.
Ms Foster said: "The new Titanic website, developed by Tourism Ireland, has been developed to profile Northern Ireland and its shipbuilding heritage.
"It will showcase the full range of Northern Ireland related tourism products to a broad range of potential visitors, trade professionals and travel journalists."
A Titanic website unveiled in New York will profile Northern Ireland and its shipbuilding heritage
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/titanic-website-shows-belfast-link-14961771.html#ixzz11LM9IuXE
Tourism Ireland is has a dedicated Titanic website to profile Northern Ireland and its shipbuilding heritage. Central to the website will be a series of short films which will be used for online campaigns and on popular social networking sites. The films will recount different aspects of the Titanic story in the run-up to 2012. The website was launched at the September event in New York.
The ‘EXPERIENCE NORTHERN IRELAND - TITANIC & MORE’ exhibition took place 24-29 September, in the Vanderbilt Hall of Grand Central Terminal, in New York.
1. Strategic Partners were:
- National Museums Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Tourist Board
- Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau
- Belfast International Airport
- Continental Airlines
- PERFORMERS include:
- Ben Glover
- Anthony Toner
- Peter Corry
- Kabosh
- Kintra
- Cinemagic
- Blue Eagle Productions/ Fair Faa Ye
- The McPeake Family
- Liz Weir
- USG Performing Arts Presenters, Artistic Director, Unateresa Gormley
- INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES include:
- Ballydougan Mill
- National Trust
- Causeway Coast & Glens
- Derry City Tours
- Titanic Tours
- Share Centre
- Airporter
- Federation of Private Transport Operators
- Hastings Hotels
- Hilden Brewery
- HINI
- B&B Ireland
- Manor House Hotels
- Ulsterbus Tours
- Drenagh Farms
USG Performing Arts Presenters: PRESENTS
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