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Shortlist announced for NI's 'Best' Small Visitor Attraction

  • Lighthouse NI
  • Apr 29, 2019
  • 3 min read

Belfast City Airport has partnered with Tourism NI and all eleven local Councils for a competition to celebrate the region’s lesser known attractions and experiences The shortlist for Northern Ireland’s ‘Best’ Small Visitor Attraction, a competition launched by George Best Belfast City Airport in partnership with Tourism NI, has been announced. The shortlisted attractions and experiences are now in with a chance of winning £30,000 of free marketing support and brand visibility at Belfast City Airport. Members of the public can now place their vote by liking the photo of their favourite attraction or experience on the Belfast City Airport Facebook page. The one attraction with the most votes from each Council area will progress to the final stage of the competition where a judging panel will determine the winner. Having been judged by the local Councils, the shortlisted attractions and experiences are:

  • Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

  • Coastguard Boat House

  • World of Owls

  • Ards and North Down Borough Council

  • Exploris

  • North Down Museum

  • The Somme Museum

  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

  • Armagh Cider Company

  • Armagh Robinson Library

  • Museum of Orange Heritage, Sloan’s House Loughgall

  • Belfast City Council

  • Aunt Sandra’s Candy Factory

  • Belfast Exposed

  • Taste and Tour NI

  • Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council

  • Aquaholics Sea Safari Trips

  • Causeway Lass Deep sea fishing

  • RSPB Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre

  • Derry City and Strabane District Council

  • Creggan Country Park

  • The Museum of Free Derry

  • The Seige Museum

  • Fermanagh and Omagh District Council

  • An Creagán

  • Erne Water Taxi

  • Florence Court

  • Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

  • Clip n Climb

  • Escapade HQ

  • Hughes Craft Distillery

  • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

  • Carrick Cottage

  • Montalto Estate

  • Rademon Estate Distillery

  • Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

  • Kilcreggan Urban Farm

  • Glenarm Castle

  • The Whitehead Railway Museum

  • Mid Ulster Council

  • Seamus Heaney HomePlace

  • The Jungle

  • Todd’s Leap

The competition, which was open to visitor attractions and experiences across Northern Ireland that have an annual footfall of less than 100,000, will offer the winner £20,000 of branding on site and £10,000 of online support through the airport’s digital channels. Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport, said: “We are delighted to announce the shortlisted attractions and experiences which are now one step closer to winning £30,000 worth of free marketing support at the airport. “The shortlist is a great representation of just how diverse the tourism industry is here in Northern Ireland, and our partnership with Tourism NI, alongside the involvement of each of the 11 local councils, has ensured a variety of entrants from right across the province. “The winner of the competition will have the opportunity to boost their profile amongst an audience of 2.6m local and overseas visitors that travel through the airport each year. “I would like to take this opportunity to wish those shortlisted the best of luck as they progress through to the next stage of the competition.” The £20,000 of free advertising on offer at the airport will be across a number of formats within the terminal, while the £10,000 of digital support will include activities such as email solus campaigns and social media take overs. Tourism NI’s Chief Executive, John McGrillen, said: “I hope that this initiative will encourage visitors to extend their stay in the region, whilst taking the time to enjoy some of the lesser-known attractions and experiences which truly represent the distinct heritage and culture here in Northern Ireland. “We recognise that the smaller attractions and experiences across the province are likely to have smaller marketing budgets, and therefore the free marketing support at the airport will hopefully make a huge difference to the winner. “I look forward to seeing which of the shortlisted attractions and experiences are the most popular amongst the public during the next stage of the competition.” The public must cast their vote by ‘liking’ their favourite attraction or experience on the Belfast City Airport Facebook page (www.facebook.com/belfastcityairport) between Monday 29

th

April and Sunday 12

th

May 2019. The attraction with the most ‘likes’ from each Council area will now proceed to the final.

 
 
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