VIP government officials from Northern Ireland in attendance will include First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson, MLA; deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP MLA and Arlene Foster MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. The Ministers will be visiting the UAE and India as part of a promotional drive for Northern Ireland exports, investment, academia and tourism.
At the UAE launch event for ni2012, local travel trade and media will be invited to learn about and experience ni2012 – a year of unprecedented special events and investment in Northern Ireland.
ni2012 features a myriad of cultural, musical, maritime, sporting and historical attractions and events. Taking centre stage in the NI2012 programme is the newly opened Titanic Belfast®, an AED 564 million signature development in Belfast commemorating the centenary of the liner’s fateful maiden voyage. Titanic Belfast® extends over nine galleries, with multiple dimensions to the exhibition, drawing together special effects, dark rides, full-scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features to fully explore the Titanic story. In addition, 120 special events including gala concerts, plays and art exhibitions will mark the anniversary as part of Titanic Belfast Festival 2012. Highlights of the120 plus events include one of the largest light shows ever attempted and a MTV ‘Rock the Docks’ in the Titanic Quarter, Belfast.
Another major coup for Northern Ireland 2012 is the return of the Irish Open after an absence of 60 years. The Royal Portrush Golf Club will host the prestigious event and welcome back Ireland’s international golfing stars Rory McIlroy (former World No. 1 and US Open Champion 2011), Darren Clarke (Open Champion 2011), Graeme McDowell (US Open Champion 2010).
A state of the art visitor centre at the UNESCO World Heritage site Giant’s Causeway will also makes its debut in July as part of NI2012.
Jim Paul, Tourism Ireland Director of Australia and Developing Markets said:
“The UAE launch of NI2012 is about harnessing the unprecedented opportunity to confidently put Northern Ireland on the global stage in a completely new way, to capture and hold the focus of world attention for all the most positive reasons. The superb programme of new attractions, events and historic anniversaries taking place in 2012, and indeed in 2013, will stimulate interest in Northern Ireland and help define what makes it different and why visitors from the UAE should choose to come here. We are telling people around the world that, with the opening of Titanic Belfast and the new Giant’s Causeway Centre, the Irish Open taking place at Royal Portrush and the Peace One Day Concert in Londonderry, there has never been a better year to visit Northern Ireland.”
