Tourism cluster gathers momentum with Live It Experience It
Forward thinking cluster of tourism businesses called Live It Experience It
Ahas been launched to showcase to the world the extent of what our beautiful region has to offer in terms of activities , food and drink and great places to stay .
Chefs , accommodation providers , food and drink tours , tour operators , restaurants and activity providers and many more , can all come under the one umbrella to tell their story , refer business and collaborate to create unique experiential packages .
Live It Experience It was launched at the end of February at the iconic Arcadia in Portrush with an announcement it is to partner with the Vauxhall International North West 200 as its tourism partner for 2017 .
Last year alone , the North West attracted 100,000 spectators with 20 per cent of these visitors coming from overseas . These visitors generated a total of 60,000 bed nights across the region .
Total revenue generated for local businesses amounted to £ 6.2million .
Eleanor McGillie , director of Live It Experience It , said the cluster tells the story of Northern Ireland to our visitors coming from overseas , to local people living in Northern Ireland and also gives people in the corporate world the chance to escape the boardroom and head out to experience what we have to offer .
Speaking about Live It Experience It , Eleanor McGillie , said : " We are a team of multimedia journalists , bloggers and business owners who have the capabilities to bring people together , present opportunities to our member businesses and give the public a great search tool .
" We have created a cluster concept and a brand which people like and engage with . Live It Experience It aims to help all tourism businesses grow by telling their story in a meaningful and relevant way .
" Northern Ireland has so much to offer with many hidden gems off the beaten track . Our website , www . liveitexperienceit . com , allows businesses to showcase what they can offer , it allows visitors to search the region and what there is to do . We give visitors a real flavour of Northern Ireland .
" So for us to launch with the announcement that The Vauxhall International North West 200 is to partner with us for 2017 opens so many doors for so many businesses .
" It ' s Ireland ' s largest outdoor sporting event which is growing year on year . Tourism businesses are key to providing spectators with memorable experiences and we want
Paul Eastwood , left , and Grant Edwards , right , of Tughans with Eleanor McGillie
them to leave with great stories to share .
" We have water , land and air based activity providers , lakes and mountains , golf courses , glamping sites , flying clubs , walking tours , bus tours , food tours , restaurants and much more .
" What we have on our own doorsteps is phenomenal . We just need to tell our visitors our stories which will in turn present major opportunities to help our tourism businesses grow ."
Eleanor said the interest in the business , at such an early stage , is testament to the thirst of tourism businesses to get the support they need to grow and develop .
She added : " Our members are open for business . They contribute economically , socially and culturally . So many people want to be outdoors , improving their health and well being , being active , enjoying delicious locally sourced food in our bars and restaurants and pushing the boundaries .
" Already marketing departments from companies have made initial contact with us to express their interest in coming to us to see how our members can meet their team building day needs or indeed client entertainment . People are looking for something different and fun ."
Attending the launch , alongside approximately 50 tourism businesses , was Dr Peter Bolan , Director of International Travel and Tourism at the University of Ulster , John Bustard , University of Ulster Researcher and Lecturer in Digital Tourism and Events , fashion designer and illustrator Sara O ' Neill , of Éadach , NW200 Event Director , Mervyn Whyte MBE and Event Operations Manager , Fergus Mackay .
Mervyn Whyte MBE told the audience that Live It Experience It provides a platform for businesses to tell their story and said it ' s a fantastic way for the race organisers to give their 100,000 spectators an authentic taste of what Northern Ireland has to offer .
He said : " The Vauxhall International North West 200 has established itself as a premier sporting event . It ' s the largest outdoor sporting event in Ireland .
" Although the race takes place on the North Coast , these spectators also travel around Northern Ireland while they are here . We want businesses right across the region to benefit and we also want our spectators to know what Northern Ireland has to offer . We want those 100,000 people to leave with a good story to tell about what Northern Ireland has to offer and Live It Experience It will help us achieve that ."
For more information on Live It Experience It , catch them on social and also on www . liveitexperienceit . com
The North West 200 takes place from May 7 13 .
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