To ask the Minister for the Economy what steps his Department is taking to promote tourism in the South Antrim constituency.

Tourism NI has consistently and heavily invested in promoting Northern Ireland as a leading tourism and short break destination since the lifting of travel restrictions, in May 2021 in Northern Ireland, and June 2021 in Republic of Ireland. In total, £12.7m has been invested this financial year across multiple campaigns and initiatives, including advertising, media, PR, creative content, and cooperative marketing funds, supporting the marketing activity of the tourism industry and local authorities.

An integral part of Tourism NI’s Recovery Strategy, Tourism NI’s positive consumer focused campaigns highlight the many ways people can embrace Northern Ireland’s giant spirit, in which the South Antrim area features regularly. Featuring across radio, press, social and digital media channels, Antrim Castle and Gardens, Taste the Borough Food Festival, ISPS Handa World Invitational Golf Tournament, Hilton Templepatrick and The Rabbit Hotel and Retreat, have been specifically promoted.

In addition, Tourism NI produced a dedicated full-page advertorial to the Causeway Coastal Route, including the South Antrim area, which appeared in all major NI and ROI press titles w/c 14th February. This is further supported by Tourism NI’s seasonal 24-page supplement, which also includes a dedicated section to Causeway Coastal Route, including the South Antrim area, to be distributed across NI and ROI from 12th March.

All Tourism NI promotional activity is directed to the consumer facing website, discovernorthernireland.com, which is the platform for a myriad of South Antrim tourism attractions. This also features a dedicated County Antrim itinerary planner, and blogs covering accommodation and wild swimming, all of which feature South Antrim locations and attractions.

Tourism NI’s ongoing programme of public relations activity has generated £5.5m worth of coverage in the Republic of Ireland market, in the financial year 2021/22. This is includes liaising with and pitching to media outlets promoting events in the South Antrim area, most recently The Irish Game Fair and Fine Food Festival in Shane’s Castle to be held this June.

Tourism businesses in the South Antrim area have been invited to submit offers and to apply for funding support for the Tourism Northern Ireland Co-operative Marketing Fund, to support their own promotional activity over the Summer and Autumn periods in 2021 and once again in Spring 2022. Over this time, the Tourism Northern Ireland Co-operative Marketing Fund supported the marketing activity of 29 businesses in Antrim and Newtownabbey Council area.

Tourism Northern Ireland also works closely, and in conjunction, with all 11 local authorities. Alongside this, a partnership marketing fund for Councils has been in place from Spring 2021, offering marketing support for every council, including of course Antrim and Newtownabbey. Since that time Tourism NI has provided £15,000 of marketing funding to the council.

Tourism Northern Ireland also holds a monthly marketing meeting with representatives invited from all Councils and works closely with the marketing teams from Antrim and Newtownabbey Council.

Outside of direct promotional activity, the Tourism NI Market Led Product Development Fund has contributed £182,400 to Antrim and Newtownabbey Council for the promotion of tourism within the area. The funding has been used to fund a tourism experience development programme and series of pilot events based on the landscape, culture, food and heritage of South Antrim.