The case for a visit to Northern Ireland - Gulf News
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Video Topics UAE weather
The case for a visit to Northern Ireland
Lianne Gutcher
March 11, 2013
Topics: Ireland, UK
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Arlene Foster, the acting Northern Ireland first minster, was in the Emirates recently. Peter Morrison / AP Photo
Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland's minister for tourism and enterprise, was in
the Emirates at the end of last month. Here she talks about her
government's investment in tourism and why 2013 is shaping up as a great
year for Northern Ireland.
What are some recent highlights of your government's investment
in the tourism sector?
There was a £97 million (Dh531m) investment in Titanic Belfast [a museum
dedicated to the doomed ship] and the government put up half of that in a
publicprivate initiative. There was also a £9m investment in the Giant's
Causeway visitor centre. That opened in July of last year and it's already
getting a lot of tourists. [The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000
interlocking basalt columns in County Antrim. Although they are the result
of an ancient volcanic eruption, legend says they were created by two
giants during a battle.]
What have you done on your visit here?
It's always the case when I visit Middle East countries that I do a dual role
for enterprise and tourism. I met with the UAE trade minister and visited
Gulfood [and later met] some of the Northern Irish diaspora.
Why would Northern Ireland be attractive to tourists from the
Middle East?
Well, it's not really about the sunshine - you get all that here. But it's about
the memorable experience that Northern Ireland offers tourists.
Do you have any special relations with any of the major airlines
here such as Etihad or Emirates?
We do work with Emirates Holidays. Etihad and Emirates fly into Dublin and
then it's an hour, an hour and a half, into Northern Ireland.
Londonderry is this year's UK city of culture. What sort of events
will the city hold?
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We do work with Emirates Holidays. Etihad and Emirates fly into Dublin and
then it's an hour, an hour and a half, into Northern Ireland.
Londonderry is this year's UK city of culture. What sort of events
will the city hold?
Londonderry is the first UK city of culture so we are definitely setting the
benchmark. We will be showing the different cultures of Northern Ireland
and the UK. We have the Turner Prize for the first time out of London and
we have the Royal Ballet. And then we have some of our local culture - it's
a fusion.
Northern Ireland has been in the news recently because of
violence and bomb scares. Are you concerned that might put
tourists off?
Well, it's obviously something we could have done without. But Northern
Ireland's history means that any unrest - however isolated or small - will
receive a lot of attention. What doesn't get reported - and I am very proud
of this - is that Northern Ireland has the lowest crime rate in Europe. The
G8 is coming to Northern Ireland this year - to my own County Fermanagh -
and I think that shows the commitment of the UK government to Northern
Ireland.
lgutcher@thenational.ae
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Video Topics UAE weather
The case for a visit to Northern Ireland
Lianne Gutcher
March 11, 2013
Topics: Ireland, UK
Related
Not fooling anyone
VisitBritain seeks Gulf
tourists, partners with
Emirates Airline
Ireland and Gulf draw
closer through tourism
Where Dubai rents
have risen and
fallen, Q1 2015 –
in pictures
Where Abu Dhabi
rents have risen
and fallen, Q1 2015
– in pictures
Are you getting
paid enough? Find
out the going rates
for hundreds of
UAE jobs
Leaving the UAE?
Here’s how to do
so the right way
EDITOR'S PICKS
UAE World Business Sport Arts & Lifestyle Opinion Blogs
Personal Finance Aviation Banking Economy Energy The Life Markets Media Property Retail Technology Telecoms
Travel & Tourism
Arlene Foster, the acting Northern Ireland first minster, was in the Emirates recently. Peter Morrison / AP Photo
Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland's minister for tourism and enterprise, was in
the Emirates at the end of last month. Here she talks about her
government's investment in tourism and why 2013 is shaping up as a great
year for Northern Ireland.
What are some recent highlights of your government's investment
in the tourism sector?
There was a £97 million (Dh531m) investment in Titanic Belfast [a museum
dedicated to the doomed ship] and the government put up half of that in a
publicprivate initiative. There was also a £9m investment in the Giant's
Causeway visitor centre. That opened in July of last year and it's already
getting a lot of tourists. [The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000
interlocking basalt columns in County Antrim. Although they are the result
of an ancient volcanic eruption, legend says they were created by two
giants during a battle.]
What have you done on your visit here?
It's always the case when I visit Middle East countries that I do a dual role
for enterprise and tourism. I met with the UAE trade minister and visited
Gulfood [and later met] some of the Northern Irish diaspora.
Why would Northern Ireland be attractive to tourists from the
Middle East?
Well, it's not really about the sunshine - you get all that here. But it's about
the memorable experience that Northern Ireland offers tourists.
Do you have any special relations with any of the major airlines
here such as Etihad or Emirates?
We do work with Emirates Holidays. Etihad and Emirates fly into Dublin and
then it's an hour, an hour and a half, into Northern Ireland.
Londonderry is this year's UK city of culture. What sort of events
will the city hold?
Generated with www.html-to-pdf.net Page 1 / 3](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/343e75d0-406f-407a-a62c-773e37097b68-150521095359-lva1-app6892/85/the-case-for-a-visit-to-northern-ireland-gulf-news-1-320.jpg?cb=1432202062)
