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14/08/2008
Jobs Boost As Hotel Expands
Following recent news that hotels in Northern Ireland are now excelling with even higher occupancy levels than that of Dublin, there's more positive signs of progress in the hospitality trade today.
Lord Diljit Rana, Chief Executive of Andras House, (pictured, inset) said he was so confident of further growth in the hotel business that he is to invest more than £10m on the expansion of the Ramada hotel in south Belfast - overlooking the picturesque Shaw's Bridge, (main picture).
"Political stability is certainly having a very positive impact. I believe that Northern Ireland can look forward to faster growth in tourism revenues," said the long-established restaurateur and hotelier.
The former winner of a top NI Travel News Award for his personal contribution to the industry said that the investment will create 60 more jobs in the four star hotel, which currently employs 117 staff.
"We are enjoying another successful summer with high levels of occupancy, despite the poor weather," he said.
"Tourism guests have been growing strongly over recent years and we are seeing visitors from many parts of the world including the US, India, parts of Europe and also from Japan," he said.
Earlier this month, a survey found that a huge increase in bed occupancy rates in Belfast had been fuelled by overseas holidaymakers, short-break and business tourists.
Michael Williamson, Director of Hotel, Tourism and Leisure Consulting at ASM Horwath, said that demand for hotel bedrooms outstripped supply in some areas like Belfast.
"In financial performance terms, the industry now outperforms hotels in Dublin, one of the most dynamic markets in Europe over the past number of years.
"This can be regarded as a major transformation to an industry that was once considered the domain of only the brave or the foolhardy," he said.
See: NI Hotels Booming - In A Different Way
(BMcC/KMcA)
Lord Diljit Rana, Chief Executive of Andras House, (pictured, inset) said he was so confident of further growth in the hotel business that he is to invest more than £10m on the expansion of the Ramada hotel in south Belfast - overlooking the picturesque Shaw's Bridge, (main picture).
"Political stability is certainly having a very positive impact. I believe that Northern Ireland can look forward to faster growth in tourism revenues," said the long-established restaurateur and hotelier.
The former winner of a top NI Travel News Award for his personal contribution to the industry said that the investment will create 60 more jobs in the four star hotel, which currently employs 117 staff.
"We are enjoying another successful summer with high levels of occupancy, despite the poor weather," he said.
"Tourism guests have been growing strongly over recent years and we are seeing visitors from many parts of the world including the US, India, parts of Europe and also from Japan," he said.
Earlier this month, a survey found that a huge increase in bed occupancy rates in Belfast had been fuelled by overseas holidaymakers, short-break and business tourists.
Michael Williamson, Director of Hotel, Tourism and Leisure Consulting at ASM Horwath, said that demand for hotel bedrooms outstripped supply in some areas like Belfast.
"In financial performance terms, the industry now outperforms hotels in Dublin, one of the most dynamic markets in Europe over the past number of years.
"This can be regarded as a major transformation to an industry that was once considered the domain of only the brave or the foolhardy," he said.
See: NI Hotels Booming - In A Different Way
(BMcC/KMcA)
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08 March 2002
Awards dished out to Northern Ireland tourism's best
More than 300 members of the tourism industry gathered at a gala event staged at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast for the 2001 Northern Ireland Tourist Board sponsored wards. The award ceremony, which took place on Thursday March 7, is in its tenth year and for the first time took place without the backing of British Airways.
Awards dished out to Northern Ireland tourism's best
More than 300 members of the tourism industry gathered at a gala event staged at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast for the 2001 Northern Ireland Tourist Board sponsored wards. The award ceremony, which took place on Thursday March 7, is in its tenth year and for the first time took place without the backing of British Airways.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A very mild, but mostly cloudy day, although with some bright or sunny spells. It will be mostly dry in the morning, but a little patchy light rain or drizzle at times in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 14 °C.Tonight:A band of heavier rain will move east during the evening before clearing eastwards after midnight. then mostly dry through the early hours, but a little rain towards dawn. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
