2. Introduction

2. Introduction

2.1 Background

In January 2017, EMG Solutions and Type AB consultants were appointed by the Council to develop a Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2017-2022 for the new Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. The Strategy was to include a comprehensive analysis of visitor servicing provision and activities throughout the Borough, identifying potential opportunities for investment and growth.

2.2 Strategy Outputs

The Strategy aims to ensure that all opportunities are identified to develop and enhance the tourism offering, and to drive an increase in visitor numbers and spend. This Strategy has the following outputs: • A detailed analysis of the tourism industry potential in terms of physical growth, clusters and corridors, and business and skills development; • A prioritised and costed five-year Action Plan indicating how Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council can meet, develop, support and grow the local tourism sector in a practical and innovative way, that is customer led, demand-driven and focused on promoting new opportunities for investment; • A marketing action plan for the tourism sector in the Borough, identifying the key market segments, marketing activity and appropriate media channels, including digital platforms; • Recommendations on delivery, including potential collaboration with other relevant partners and tourism partnerships; • Tourism key performance indicators for monitoring and evaluation, in terms of increasing visitor trips, visitor spend and bed nights etc.; • External funding opportunities to support tourism development in Antrim and Newtownabbey.

2.3 Methodology

The Strategy has been developed through careful consideration incorporating the following activities:

• Establishing the context for the development of tourism, including consideration of key stakeholder policy objectives and strategies at a local, regional, and national level. Some 23 strategies have been reviewed. • An up-to-date profile of the tourism and visitor servicing sector in the Borough Council, including baselines and key performance indicators for visitor numbers, revenue/spend, bed nights and employment. • A tourism product audit for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council which identified the current tourism product portfolio and the current tourism product/service mix. The research has outlined important sectors, for example culture, natural and built heritage, parks and gardens, outdoor and recreational activities, and support services. The audit identified where clusters of related tourism service sectors exist and what sets Antrim and Newtownabbey apart from other Local Government Districts (LGDs). • Consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough

Council Elected Members and Officers, Tourism Northern Ireland, the Antrim and

Newtownabbey Tourism Team and Tourism Forum, Partnership representatives: Visit Belfast,

Lough Neagh, Belfast Hills, Departmental Officials from the Department of Agriculture,

Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department for Communities (DfC), local hotels, local potential visitors etc. • A detailed assessment of the need and demand considering: o The tourism infrastructure and resource in Antrim and Newtownabbey;

o Clustering and development of natural corridors, recognising the need for accessibility in geographical terms; o The activities engaged in by visitors, and the attractions that both overseas visitors and domestic trip takers find most popular; and o Expected market demand for the destination with consideration given to sustainability and development. • Analysis of the Borough’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in a tourism context; • A review of comparable Republic of Ireland (RoI) and United Kingdom (UK) and international best practice examples with regard to product development; • Consideration of future opportunities to grow tourism markets e.g. domestic markets -

Connected Families and Footloose Socialisers; and overseas markets - Culturally Curious and

Social Energisers; • Identification of the benefits to be accrued from tourism (domestic and international), and community development in the local and wider area; • Describing potential high level options for development; and • Establishing a set of clear recommendations and a prioritised future Action Plan for the development of tourism in Antrim and Newtownabbey; and • Presenting an outline management, delivery and funding review to support the actions identified.

2.4 Report Structure

In response to the objectives, our Strategy Report has the following structure:

Chapter 1: Executive summary Chapter 2: Introduction Chapter 3: Current situational analysis Chapter 4: Market drivers Chapter 5: Consultation research and SWOT Chapter 6: Strategy and recommendations Chapter 7: Organisation, management and delivery structure, marketing, funding review, key performance indicators and monitoring and evaluation Chapter 8: Action Plan