Checking your foundations

Building a regional, national and eventually an international reputation and customer base requires strong business foundations as well as a great idea that will motivate your target visitors. 

​That idea, and your business, need to be aligned to the tourism brand for Northern Ireland.

Does your business have strong foundations?

Exercise 1a

Before you start working through this toolkit, take stock of where your business is now, using this checklist.​

When you can tick all these boxes, it may be time to think of stepping up to bigger markets.  At that point, this toolkit will help you.​

If you can’t tick all the boxes, your first steps should focus on filling the gaps.

Can you align with our brand and Embrace our Giant Spirit?

Exercise 1B

The Northern Ireland - Embrace a Giant Spirit brand creates excellent opportunities for innovative and committed arts, culture and heritage businesses and makes this a great time to step into tourism.  ​

We know that the brand makes a great impact. When tested with our key markets, it increased likelihood to visit Northern Ireland by 30%.​

Northern Ireland - Embrace a Giant Spirit identifies four Inspirers that will make Northern Ireland stand out:

These Inspirers can motivate visitors, help them enjoy their time here and leave them with lasting memories. They should be the touch points of your experience. ​

It is important to check that your business aligns with the Northern Ireland - Embrace a Giant Spirit brand even if, maybe especially if, it was established before 2019 when the brand was launched.

Learn more about the four inspirers below:

Big Hearted

Big-hearted experiences help​ visitors to meet the people of​ Northern Ireland. This means the​ warm Northern Irish approach​ to visitors should be front and​ centre of every aspect of your​ experience. Big-hearted is the​ most important Inspirer. ​

Does, or could, your tourism ​offer include:​ Warm, generous local hosts or guides who will  go the extra mile for visitors?​​ Inviting visitors into local arts, culture and heritage events and activities?

​

Original

Northern Ireland needs tourism experiences that are unique and compelling so we can stand out. The creative industries and our innovative pioneering heritage play a vital role here.   ​

Does, or could, your tourism ​experience include:​ Offering distinctive local culture?​ Participating in creative activities?​ Being surprised by the unexpected and/or quirky?​ Celebrating the inventiveness of Northern Ireland’s people?

Legends and Stories

Well-told stories touch our visitors’ emotions and create lasting memories. The best visitor experiences draw on our great tradition of storytelling. See How Arts and Heritage can boost our Giant Stories and Exercise 3B for more detail on using storytelling with visitors.

Does, or could, your tourism offer include:​ Ancient stories of Northern Ireland, our myths and folklore?​ Tales and anecdotes of local heroes past and present?​ Northern Ireland’s strong tradition of writers and story-makers?​ Local storytelling and story-making activities and events, traditional and contemporary?

Land, Water and Sea

​Experiences that reflect land, water and sea will connect visitors more strongly with our landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes. They can include outdoor adventures, discovering different landscapes, connecting with nature, getting off the beaten track, eating local food or experiencing solitude, tranquility and inspiration.​

Does, or could, your tourism experience include:​ Encounters with Northern Ireland’s landscapes?​ Outdoor adventures, enlivened by the elements?​ Experiencing local food, seeing it being made and  meeting producers?