Tourism NI launches series of innovation workshops for tourism and hospitality businesses around Northern Ireland

Taking place as part of Tourism NI’s `Innovate Tourism’ programme, the interactive workshops aim to demonstrate how innovation is key to business growth, while also increasing awareness and knowledge about what innovation means in a tourism context.

In addition, the workshops will show businesses how to embed innovation in day-to-day operations, creating value and enhancing the visitor experience.

Businesses who sign up to take part in the workshops will also be provided with advice and guidance, including what funding support is available to help generate new ideas to grow.

Tourism NI is hosting the workshops in partnership with Innovate NI, a Department for the Economy initiative, which is delivered by Invest NI.

The goal of the initiative is to increase the number of Northern Ireland businesses engaged in innovation.

Registration for the innovation workshops in February is now open.

The workshops will take place at The Everglades Hotel, Derry on Tuesday, February 6, The Junction, Dungannon on Wednesday, February 7, The Crowne Plaza, Belfast on Thursday, February 8 and the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, Banbridge on Friday, February 9.

The workshops will run from 10am to 2.30pm and a working lunch is included.

Eimear Callaghan, head of industry development at Tourism NI, said: “Innovation is one of the key pillars of our draft Tourism Strategy and is key to staying competitive and relevant in the ever-evolving tourism landscape.

“Tourism businesses are innovative by nature, constantly creating new experiences for visitors and targeting new markets,” she said.

“We are delighted to partner with Innovate Northern Ireland to launch Innovate Tourism and deliver this series of workshops to equip our industry with the tools they need to boost innovation.

“They will learn how to drive business growth, improve efficiency and exceed customer expectations while also having access to experts on a one-to-one basis.

“We would encourage tourism businesses to register as soon as possible for this very practical and engaging workshop.”

Paul O’ Callaghan, manager of the Innovate NI programme at Invest NI, added: “We are delighted to be working with Tourism NI on this project and are very excited about the upcoming workshops.

“Tourism has an important role to play in shaping Northern Ireland’s innovation landscape and ensuring the sector continues to thrive in an increasingly competitive market,” he said.

“Tourism businesses attending will learn how to use our innovation framework to embed innovation within their business, ensuring they stay relevant, competitive and enjoy continued success.”