Tourism

Neighbourhood Tourism Fund

Our Neighbourhood Tourism Fund is open for expressions of interest from tourism providers or local partnerships in Belfast.

The funding is for high-quality visitor experiences in the Belfast City Council area. Eligible tourism organisations can submit suggestions for projects that will:

• develop authentic, new cultural tourism experiences
• enhance existing tourism experiences
• address gaps and opportunities for tourism experiences such as night-time economy and Sunday morning tourism.

The application process has two stages. The first stage is an expression of interest. We’ll invite shortlisted applicants to the second stage.

To send an expression of interest, go to Neighbourhood Tourism Expression of Interest (EOI) Questionnaire (link opens in new window).

The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 4 October 2024 at 3pm. To receive application notes or if you have a query, email us before 12 noon on Wednesday 2 October 2024: tourism@belfastcity.gov.uk.

Storytelling

In our cultural strategy, A City Imagining, we recognised the importance of cultural tourism in our city's economy. Through storytelling, we can offer visitors authentic, local and cultural experiences.Our citizens, neighbourhoods and local communities are central to telling these stories.

Tourism priorities

Our cultural strategy outlines four priorities for tourism in Belfast:

• enhancing and enriching the visitor experience
• supporting tourism development across the city’s neighbourhoods
• focusing our tourism marketing and communications
• supporting skills development to enhance tourism growth and development

We’ve developed an implementation plan for 2020-2023 to deliver our cultural strategy. To ask for a copy, contact us by email tourism@belfastcity.gov.uk.

Tourism activity

Our tourism activities include:

• developing a Tourism Plan (link opens in new window) for Belfast
• working with delivery partners to support the development of tourism across our neighbourhoods
• supporting capacity-building and skills development with an emphasis on digital skills
• working with Visit Belfast on marketing, visitor servicing and business tourism

Sustainable tourism

It’s important groups and organisations that work together to make sure the tourism industry adopts sustainable practices. We’re working with Visit Belfast and other stakeholders to develop a citywide plan for long-term change.

We are supporting Belfast-based tourism and hospitality businesses that apply for the Green Tourism standard.

VisitBelfast

To find information on what to see and do in Belfast, go to VisitBelfast (link opens in new window).

Inclusive tourism

We offer free and practical training on inclusive tourism to help businesses improve communication and access for their disabled customers.

Food and drink tourism

We’ve worked to develop a Food and Drink Tourism Action Plan. The plan will help improve visitor experiences by developing food tourism experiences and raising the profile of local food and drink. We are doing this to achieve the ambitions of Belfast’s Make Yourself at Home tourism plan.

Food and Drink Tourism network

As part of this plan, we’ve set up a Food and Drink Tourism network, representing businesses from across the hospitality and tourism sectors. If you are a food and drink producer, provider or run food and drink experiences and want to join the network, email culture@belfastcity.gov.uk.

Draft Tourism Plan

• Read our Draft Tourism Plan