Why embrace the outdoors
The Northern Ireland Embrace A Giant Spirit brand promises visitors experiences that they recognise as distinctively Northern Irish and which communicate our giant spirit.
Bloody Bridge, Newcastle
Sharing the giant spirit of Northern Ireland reflects consumer perceptions of a warm, engaging and big-hearted country. It highlights our land as one built by pioneers and entrepreneurs, with a rich cultural history, reflected in words, music and craft, and woven together by a unique, elemental beauty.
Awakening the giant spirit in our visitors reflects the aspects that we know visitors to Northern Ireland seek out. It focuses on how embracing our landscapes, culture and heritage can help people to connect, discover and feel inspired and refreshed.
The outdoors is positioned at the heart of the brand with ‘Land, water and sea’ recognised as one of the four key ‘inspirers’ that we want visitors to discover, think about and talk about during the experience and long after.
Visitors to Northern Ireland love our fantastic landscapes and therefore Giant Spirit Experiences should be rooted in the physicality of the place which is a physical and tangible expression of our environment, weather and of the people who have lived there.
How to inspire through land, water, sea and air?
Outdoor experiences should offer physical challenges, escapes into wellbeing, tranquillity and solitude. Visitors wish to be inspired by:
- Discovering diverse landscapes
- Connecting with nature
- Getting off the beaten track
- Having outdoor adventures
- Eating local food
- Having their senses enlivened by the elements
- Meeting producers
- Experiencing solitude, tranquillity and inspiration
- Living with the elements
The Northern Ireland Embrace A Giant Spirt – Experience Development Toolkit – provides guidance on how to enhance your experience through the integration of other inspirers – I.e. ‘Big-Hearted’, ‘Original’ and ‘Legends and Stories’.
Who can offer an outdoor experience?
Why We Embrace the Outdoors focuses on two broad categories:
- Outdoor experiences - e.g. outdoor activity centres, outdoor activity operators (mobile), wellness providers and outdoor activity guides
- Outdoor place-based experiences - e.g. forest parks, country parks, private estates and farm diversification
Tourism NI – Build Your Business provides guidance on the practicalities of getting started in each.
However, through innovative collaboration, outdoor experiences can provide opportunities across the sector – for example:
- Accommodation in unique locations e.g. on a lough shore
- Storytellers / guides who can bring our landscapes to life
- Food producers who can connect their produce to the landscape