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Lagan View WiFi: Enter Email, Agree and Connect

Welcome! International Travel Trade Platforms Masterclass

23rdJanuary 2018

Eimear Callaghan

Business Solutions Manager Tourism Northern Ireland

Programme

• Where are we now?
• Kate Taylor
• Panel Discussion
• Networking
• TNI update - Meet The Buyer Key Dates
• Meet the Buyer Appointment Refresher
• SME Session/ Networking lunch

The Tourism Vision

Market led Product focused People orientated Commercially driven Visitor centric Experience based

billion export sales

£1

2018 and beyond

Never a better time to visit!

Ja Jan – Ju June e 201 017 2.257 million visitors +10% change on 2016 £417m revenue +16% change on 2016

Northern IrelandTourism going strong!

4.6 million visitors £850 million for local economy £2.3m spent by visitors per day 61,500 jobs

2016

Strong growth in Overseas

Jan - June 2017

Overseas trips increased by 15% during the first half of 2017

• North America, Mainland

Europe and Elsewhere all delivered growth

• Overseas visitor spend

increased by 45% (+£37m) during Jan-June 2017

Jan - Nov 2017 Hotel Occupancy

• Almost 2 million hotel

rooms sold during Jan- Nov 2017, up 5% yoy

• Nov -NI hotels achieve

unprecedented average room occupancy (67%)

Industry Barometer Dec 2017

• 45% of responding tourism

businesses reported increases in overseas visitor compared to last year

• Hotels and visitor attractions
• ptimistic in relation to 2018 -

64% anticipating further increases in 2018 overseas business

132 International Buyers 89Northern Ireland industry 4,000 Sales Appointments

Meet the Buyer 2017

Most successful MTB to date

OBJECTIVE MAKEMeet the Buyer 2018 the biggest yet!

Meet the Buyer 2018

Most successful MTB to date

NI Industry Comments

• ‘Excellent event’
• ‘Good selection of tour operators

attending’

• ‘New appointment system - No

mismatched appointments’

• ‘Operators genuinely interested in

doing business’

NI Industry Feedback

• 70% said buyers were genuinely

interested

• 70% will definitely attend in 2018
• 87% have had enquiries from buyers
• 13% had not attended MTB before

Tour Operator Initial Feedback

• 53% said MTB 2017 was best yet
• 14% bring over 5,000 visitors to NI

each year

• 30% had not attended before

Tour Operator Comments

• ‘Excellent event and great
• rganisation’
• ‘NI trade better prepared than

ever to do business’

Why do Buyers Attend?

• 90% making new industry contacts
• 78% Discovering new products
• 66% Expanding current programme
• 17% introducing NI to programme

Further Operator Follow up

• 72% contractedwith new NI

suppliers as a result of attending MTB 2017

• 80% contracted with between 1 – 5

new suppliers

• 16% contracted with between 6-10

new suppliers

Further Operator Follow up

• 63% contractedwith an NI supplier

they had not worked with in past 2 years

Further Operator Follow up

• 34% expected their business to NI

to increase by up to 10%

• 34% expected their business to NI

to increase from between 10% - 25%

“The increase in positive media exposure is great, as are recent awards, e.g. Lonely Planet to name

• ne!”

“We’ve bold targets for the forthcoming years in NI and we are seeing fantastic demand from a number

• f our international markets. It all points to a very

positive few years ahead”. “Returning clients are always very positive about the destination.”

Further Operator Follow up

• 82% attributedtheir increase in NI

business to Meet the Buyer!

Further Operator Follow up

• 76% plan to increase NI offering
• ver next 2 years

Tour Operator Comments

BUT!!

• “Lack of follow up from NI

suppliers”

• “ No response to written

confirmation to do business”

• Follow up is key!

The Take Out

• Be there!
• Be Prepared!
• MakeMeet the Buyer 2018

the best yet!

Panel Discussion

Carol Glanville –Londonderry Arms Hotel Mary McGee –Seamus Heaney Homeplace Marina Finn – Abbey Group Facilitated by Kate Taylor, TayloredTraining

Making the Most of Meet the Buyer

Kate Taylor TayloredTraining

Making the Most of

Meet the Buyer Panel Discussion

Making the Most of Meet the Buyer

How to connect with the right buyers in the right way….

After During Before

Set Goals Prepare Engage Follow Up

Before During After

Making the Most of Meet the Buyer

Tea & Coffee Break

Eimear Callaghan

Business Solutions Manager Tourism Northern Ireland

Meet the Buyer 2018 Key Dates

• Wed 24th Jan: Registration Opens
• Wed 7th Feb: Registration Closes
• Tues 27th Feb: Appointment Scheduler Opens
• Thurs 22nd March: Appointment Scheduler Closes

Meet the Buyer 2018 Key Dates

• 2 WEEKS TO REGISTER
• DON’T FORGET!

2018 Tourism Platforms

• September 2018 Coach and Group Workshop

Dates and venue to be confirmed

• International Operator Fam trip programme

throughout the year

• New innovative products and ideas welcome

How we can support

• International Travel Trade Opportunities –

tourismirelandindustryopportunities.com

• FREE marketing assets -

medialibrary.tourismni.com

• Intelligence & Research -

tourismni.com/facts-and-figures

• Other opportunities – Webinars, ezines, etc.

Meet the Buyer Appointment Scheduler Refresher Session

Daniel Lees Converve

Thank you!

Networking Lunch

International Travel Trade Platforms Masterclass

23rdJanuary 2018