2016 Will be Northern Ireland’s Year of Food
A new initiative aimed at giving more tourists an appetite to visit Northern Ireland has been launched. Announcing that next year, 2016, will be Northern Ireland’s Year of Food, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster says: “We have some of the best food and the best restaurants in the world, and the potential this has when it comes to tourism cannot be underestimated. Food tourism already generates over £350million per year to the local economy, but I believe there is significant room for further growth. That’s why I have asked Tourism Northern Ireland to begin preparatory work to develop the Year of Food initiative and have secured funding to allow them to do so.”
In the lead up to and during 2016, there will be a series of packaged events aimed at tempting the taste buds of potential visitors.
Arlene Foster adds: “The Year of Food will enable us to continue to raise our profile nationally and to promote Northern Ireland food tourism on the international stage. As well as specific events, the Year of Food will see support for industry through master classes and mentoring programmes, the development of new food experiences and trails, and development of a toolkit to enable a wide range of people across Northern Ireland to get involved in promoting their produce and their area.”
CAPTION:
Actor James Nesbitt and Tourism NI’s Howard Hastings helped Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster serve up a new initiative aimed at giving more tourists an appetite to visit Northern Ireland.
