Cultural and tourism representatives have met to discuss forging closer links that will help place Belfast on the cultural tourism destination map.

More than 100 individuals from a wide variety of Belfast’s attractions, venues, theatre companies, hotels, restaurants and marketing organisations met at a networking event organised by Belfast City Council.

The meeting was organised in response to demand for continued opportunities to build working relationships and develop business to business links between the tourism industry, arts organisations, venues, event and festival promoters, sports organisations and other relevant organisations.

Councillor Nelson McCausland, Chairman of the Council’s Tourism and Promotion of Belfast Sub-Committee, said: “I am sure that events such as this will continue to stimulate a more proactive approach to partnerships throughout the city – between cultural venues, restaurants, tour operators and accommodation providers.

"By sharing our expertise, we can really put Belfast on the map of European cultural destinations, and ensure that the whole of the City, including those who provide the wide diversity of cultural experience in Belfast, benefit from tourism."

This week's meeting follows the news that Belfast’s economy received a welcome boost last year when a staggering 5.3 million visitors spent a whopping £232 million in the city.

Global trends continue to indicate that visitors are seeking cultural experiences particularly in the short break market, which is a main focus in marketing Belfast worldwide.

Recent cultural tourism successes for Belfast have included the fifth Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, which this year incorporated the City’s first international street theatre festival, the Festival of Fools - for which early estimates indicate audiences in the region of 40,000.

Other recent highlights have included the BBC Music Live and ‘Titanic - Made in Belfast’ programme of events, which between them attracted more than 50,000 people during April and May.

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