'Extremely valuable': Major coach tourism conference makes first-ever stop in Co Londonderry
County Londonderry has welcomed the annual Coach Tourism Association (CTA) convention for the first time, drawing around 170 key businesses from the UK coach tourism sector to Northern Ireland.
The event was secured through a collaboration between Tourism Ireland, Tourism NI, Visit Derry and Fáilte Ireland.
The CTA, the UK’s leading association for coach tourism, plays a critical role in bringing visitors from GB to the island of Ireland throughout the year. A central feature of the conference was the ‘CTA Meet the Buyer’ workshop, where delegates participated in over 1,200 one-to-one meetings with tourism businesses from across NI and the RoI. These sessions provide a platform for developing new itineraries and strengthening partnerships that help drive thousands of visitors to regional destinations annually.
Conference delegates also took part in familiarisation trips showcasing NI’s highlights.
Tours included a walking tour of Londonderry’s Walled City, visits to the Giant’s Causeway, Mussenden Temple, the Ulster American Folk Park, GORTA – Swatragh’s Famine Story, Glenshane Country Farm, Wild Ireland and The Muff Liquor Company in Donegal.
Julie Wakley, Tourism Ireland’s head of GB, said: “Tourism Ireland is delighted that the Coach Tourism Association has chosen Derry-Londonderry as the venue for its 2026 conference and we’re extending a warm welcome to the 170 coach tourism buyers attending.
"Coach tourism continues to be extremely valuable, bringing visitors to our regions, right throughout the year.
"This year’s conference and workshop provides a platform to showcase our superb tourism offering, helping our GB coach tour operator partners develop new and exciting programmes for their clients for 2026 and beyond.”
The conference underscores the importance of coach tourism as a year-round driver of economic activity in Northern Ireland.
According to NISRA figures for 2024, overseas tourism contributed £633m to the NI economy, with 2m visitors accounting for 58% of total tourism revenue. Events like the CTA convention support these figures by encouraging repeat visits and extended itineraries.