Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030

The Lisburn & Castlereagh Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025 to 2030 is a strategic roadmap for raising the profile of Lisburn & Castlereagh as an exemplary, sustainable, and socially inclusive tourism destination with a vibrant community spirit at its heart.

The ambition of this strategy is to position Lisburn & Castlereagh as a renowned tourism destination with a unique identity and unparalleled experiences like Royal Hillsborough – Northern Ireland’s only designated Royal residence. The purpose of this plan is to maximise social and economic benefits for tourism providers and communities across urban and rural areas in city, town, villages and hamlets.

To achieve success a twofold approach is recommended that applies equal value to

1. Infrastructural investment and development

i.e., the curation of high-quality tangible infrastructure that has been a core responsibility for Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism team to date and will remain so for the future. 

Examples:

• securing +£26million investment for the development of Royal Hillsborough as a world-class heritage village
• installation of the Digital sculpture trail in Hillsborough Forest: ten giant sculptures created by leading artists that encourage exploration supported by an augmented reality digital App
• installation of the Guess How Much I Love You trail: celebrating the author and Lisburn resident, Sam McBratney who wrote the international bestseller Guess How Much I Love You  

Looking to the future, this will encompass further projects such as:

• attracting investment for the development of quality accommodation 
• scoping the potential for:
  • new tourism product: e.g., Hillsborough Castle & Gardens, Ulster Aviation Society, Lagan Valley Regional Park AONB 
  • an annual tourism event to grow domestic and international visitors e.g., a food-themed festival, Christmas markets

2. Tourism industry and destination development

This is essential for:

• maximising social and economic opportunities
• sustainable tourism development
• achieving a return for investments made on tangible infrastructure
• meeting the expectations of the visitor who seeks to forge a deep connection with a destination and its people

Activity encompasses:

• building a robust collaborative framework:
  • between Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s tourism team and local tourism and hospitality providers
  • across Lisburn and Castlereagh’s tourism industry
  • between Lisburn and Castlereagh and external stakeholders that can support the destination including Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland
• investing in new experience development: curating experiences delivered  by local providers that reveal the story of people and place
• championing tourism product and experiences that are unique to Lisburn & Castlereagh: e.g., Ulster Aviation Society, the Linen Museum, Royal Hillsborough, visitor experiences that showcase diverse aspects of the destination’s story e.g., scenic beauty, food, linen design
• enterprise development: supporting tourism businesses to maximise economic opportunities  

This twofold approach to tourism development will require careful consideration so that the brief Lisburn and Castlereagh’s tourism team is responsible for throughout 2024-2029 and beyond a) has the full support of council and b) is appropriately resourced to achieve social and economic success along with the growth targets set out in this plan.

This plan follows the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 (the first tourism strategy coordinated by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council since its establishment as a local authority in Northern Ireland in 2015) and is set out in two key parts:

• Strategic Analysis: a summary of the research and outcomes that inform the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2029
• Action Plan 2024-2029: defining the strategic pillars and associated actions for the next five years

Across these two parts, the plan has three sections:

1. Summary and Context
2. Where We Are Now
3. The Way Forward: Action Plan 2025-2030

The vision statement and value proposition form the foundation for all activities conducted by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in collaboration with tourism businesses, key stakeholders and partners. 

While the vision statement summarises the destination’s ambition, the value proposition is created from the visitor’s perspective.

Strategic plans, annual plans, and actions must align to the vision statement and value proposition. They are ideally used when engaging with tourism stakeholders and procuring services such a PR, marketing and advertising so that the destination’s tourism offering, aims, and objectives are understood. 

The vision statement and value proposition have been created following consultation with Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism industry, communities, and key stakeholders. 

1.2.1. Vision statement

The vision of this strategy is to position Lisburn & Castlereagh as a leading tourism destination distinguished by innovative tourism experiences that are:

• places of immense natural beauty
• a rich built and cultural heritage
• a vibrant food and drink scene
• a deep sense of community that champions social inclusion bound by a collaborative spirit
• a sustainable ethos that benefits people, planet and pocket at its heart

1.2.2 Value proposition

Stretching from the shores of Lough Neagh in the west to the hills above Dundonald in the east, and from the Belfast Hills in the north to the source of the River Lagan in the south, Lisburn & Castlereagh is bordered by six of Northern Ireland’s 11 district council areas within easy reach of Belfast and Dublin. 

Home to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens (Northern Ireland’s only designated Royal residence) and the Lagan Valley Regional Park AONB (Northern Ireland’s only Regional Park), Lisburn & Castlereagh is unparalleled as a tourism destination in Ireland. 

Characterised by a deep sense of community and a leisurely pace of life where welcoming people have time to engage in conversation across urban and rural neighbourhoods, an annual calendar of experiences and events inspire visitors to explore:  

• Culture and Heritage: from being the home of Royal Hillsborough village with its remarkable Georgian architecture, art galleries and stately homes to the Ulster Aviation Society with 30+ historic aircrafts and craft design ranging from handmade linen to fine art ceramics.
• Food and Drink: a celebrated destination for food and drink with gastro pubs, restaurants and farmer’s markets that champion local produce complemented by experiences in private homes, cookery schools as well as Hinch Distillery and Hilden Brewery that are beloved locally
• Adventure and Activities: a haven for walkers and hikers - Lagan towpath walk connects Lisburn to Belfast; biking, boating, falconry, horse-racing and horse-riding, parkland golf courses, and Ireland’s largest aqua park at Let’s Go Hydro
• Events and Festivals: year-round community and large-scale events include the Down Royal Racing Festival that takes place annually in November - with a heritage dating back to 1865, this racecourse is the only one in Northern Ireland to host jump and flat racing

Complimented by restaurants, cafes, bars and accommodation from glamping, caravanning, self-catering cottages, B&Bs and guesthouses to stately homes, castles and hotels, Lisburn & Castlereagh is naturally suited to domestic and international leisure visitors including individuals and groups, couples, families, soft adventurers, golfers, inter-generational travellers and enthusiasts of nature, culture & heritage, food & drink, and the great outdoors.
 
For business tourism, Lisburn and Castlereagh is home to outdoor spaces and indoor venues including the Eikon Exhibition Centre (Northern Ireland’s largest events venue with 10,000sqms of indoor event space on a 55-acre site), historic buildings and hotels for meeting, conference, events and incentive groups from 10 to 10,000 delegates. 

As a collaborative and responsible community, we welcome everyone who shares our commitment to social inclusion and a sustainable ethos that benefits people, planet and pocket. 

The scope requested of the Lisburn & Castlereagh Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030 is:

• provide strategic guidance to:
  • raise the profile of the district as a tourism destination
  • achieve economic growth that benefits the district’s tourism businesses and local economy leverage tourism to raise pride and identity, generating social and wellbeing benefits
  • provide guidance on offline and online marketing
• make recommendations about the opportunity to develop new tourism products and experiences
• review the former Tourism Strategy 2018-2022, noting that the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2029 requires a fresh approach in the context of a post Covid-19 and Brexit era
• identify potential sources of funding to enable implementation of this Tourism Strategy
• provide guidance about how to maximise the role and the potential of the district’s Visitor Servicing function, analysing gaps and new opportunities (e.g., digitalisation) 

Guided by this direction, this plan is informed by consultations, an analysis of the provision of Visitor Services, a product audit, in-destination site visits and desk research: 

Consultations:

• Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) officers
• LCCC tourism and hospitality businesses 
• LCCC elected representatives
• Tourism Northern Ireland
• Tourism Ireland
• Visit Belfast: leisure and business tourism representatives
• Professional travel buyers (leisure and business tourism) in Ireland and abroad, including the ITOA and ETOA associations
• Disability Federation Ireland
• Ulster University Economic Policy Centre
• Climate action experts
• Leave No Trace 
• Independent data intelligence and international benchmarking organisations

In-destination site visits:

An in-person assessment of signature tourism products that are unique to the Lisburn & Castlereagh district including:

• Hillsborough Castle and Gardens: Northern Ireland’s royal residence
• Ulster Aviation Society: 30+ historic aircrafts and exhibits celebrating Northern Ireland’s aviation heritage, expertly curated by passionate volunteers
• Down Royal racecourse: the only racecourse in Northern Ireland to host both jump and flat racing, with a heritage dating back to 1865 
• Lagan Valley Regional Park AONB (4,200 acres): Northern Ireland’s only Regional Park with rich biodiversity and heritage 
• Maze Long Kesh: a 347-acre site that is home to the Ulster Aviation Society and the 5,000m2 EIKON exhibition venue and exhibition facility renowned for hosting events such as the Balmoral Show (Northern Ireland’s largest agri-food event with +100,000 visitors in May annually)
• Places to dine, visit and stay:  
  • places to dine including gastro pubs and restaurants
  • places that offer food & drink experiences with tours and tastings such as distilleries and breweries
  • places to stay: e.g., glamping, caravanning, self-catering cottages, B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels

Product Audit:

An analysis of existing tourism products and experiences to identify strengths, gaps and opportunities under the following categories: 

• natural assets: places of natural beauty 
• experiences: culture & heritage; adventure & activities; food & drink; wellness and sustainability
• accommodation providers
• events and festivals
• exclusive venues

Visitor Services review: 

• site visits and consultations were conducted with Visitor Services teams in Dublin, Belfast, Newry Mourne Down and Derry ~ Londonderry
• reports and visitor services models from Ireland, Scandinavia and Germany were studied

Desk research:

Reports and analyses relevant to LCCC’s tourism strategy including regional Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) strategies, national strategies and independently published reports.

This plan including all recommendations and actions aligns with regional and national policies and strategies from the following:

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (LCCC):

• LCCC Tourism Strategy 2018-2022
• LCCC Community Plan 2017-2032
• LCCC Corporate Plan and Ambitions 2024/2028
• LCCC Interim Corporate Plan 2021-2024
• LCCC Local Development Plan 2032
• Hillsborough Tourism Masterplan
• Hillsborough Castle and Heritage Village Outline Business Case June 2021
• Royal Hillsborough Sustainability Report
• LCCC Rural Needs Annual Monitoring Report 2021-2022

National Strategies and Policies:

• Tourism NI’s Draft Tourism Strategy 2024-2034
• Together Building a United Community Strategy
• Rural Needs Act
• Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act
• Tourism NI 2022-23 operating plan
• Tourism NI Annual Report 2020
• Lagan Valley Regional Park Five Year Management Plan 2023-2028
• Tourism Ireland Marketing Plans
• Department for the Economy Economic Strategy
• Department for the Economy: Economy 10 Year Tourism Vision and Action Plan: Productivity, Regional Balance, Good Jobs, Decarbonisation. 
• Department of Culture, Arts and Heritage: A Way Forward
• DAERA Northern Ireland Food Strategy

Visit Belfast related reports:

• LCCC and Visit Belfast Regional Tourism Partnership 2022-2023
• Visit Belfast Business & Operational Plan 2022-2023
• Visit Belfast Draft Strategy 2024-2027
• Visit Belfast Business Plan 2024

Independent reports:

• United Nations Climate Change reports
• World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) reports
• Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report 2023
• Disability Federation of Ireland Advocacy Plan 2024-2026
• Future.TI (Destination Germany) 2020
• Food NI’s Our Food the Power of Good

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has been extremely successful in the development of tourism infrastructure for which the council’s tourism team has been instrumental. Examples of high profile projects:

• Over £26 million investment secured for Royal Hillsborough village: home to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and Hillsborough Forest, this investment will support the development of Royal Hillsborough as a world-class heritage village. The funds represent a combined investment made by Belfast Region City Deal, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) 
• Completion of tourism infrastructure projects: 
  • Digital sculpture trail in Hillsborough Forest: encompassing ten giant sculptures created by leading artists that encourage exploration supported by an augmented reality digital App
  • Guess How Much I Love You trail: celebrating the author and lifelong Lisburn resident, Sam McBratney who wrote the international bestseller Guess How Much I Love You in 1994 (selling more than 55 million copies worldwide), this Public Art and Literature Trail is accessible through a digital app or offline map 
• £52+ million investment for Dundonald International Ice Bowl: development of a state of the art facility featuring an Olympic-sized ice rink, 24-lane bowling alley and catering facilities.  Opening in 2027, it is estimated that the ice bowl will welcome more than 700,000 visitors annually by contrast with existing annual visitor numbers of 500,000 

Other notable achievements following the inception of the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 include:

Elevating the food and drink offering: a key theme in the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022:

• raising the profile of the rich food and drink heritage and innovative producers as a primary motivator for visiting the Lisburn & Castlereagh district that is home to gastro pubs, restaurants, and quality artisan industries
• developing an annual programme of farmers markets alongside food & drink related themed events 
• raising the profile of local destinations that champion quality Northern Ireland food and drink produce: e.g., the Speciality Food Fair that takes places in August annually in the Moira village

Events and festivals:   

Supporting the development of an annual programme of community and larger scale events across the district to drive visitor footfall e.g., 

• Balmoral Show that takes place in the Eikon Exhibition Centre Lisburn, welcoming more than 120,000 visitors in May annually 
• Down Royal Festival of Racing in November annually

Integrated Marketing campaigns    

A key theme in the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022, successes include delivering an annual Integrated Marketing Campaign to increase awareness and footfall to the district 

Looking to the future: going forward the tourism team will continue to focus on the above outlined activity to include:

• positioning Lisburn & Castlereagh as a leading destination for food and drink
• supporting events, festivals and farmers markets
• delivering integrated marketing campaigns
• tourism infrastructure development: ensuring that the management of any such projects is handed over to the appropriate operational experts upon completion

Additionally, to maximise social and economic opportunities Lisburn & Castlereagh will place a priority focus upon:

• building a robust collaborative framework that connects:
  • tourism industry business providers: developing partnership opportunities
  • Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism industry with the local community
  • Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism team with local tourism business providers and all stakeholders that can support the development of this tourism destination including Tourism Northern Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Visit Belfast
• curating tourism experiences that share the story of people and place
• enterprise development: delivering training and mentoring supports that can help local tourism providers maximise opportunities individually and collectively 
• embedding a culture of sustainable and regenerative tourism and social inclusion within all activity
• promoting Lisburn & Castlereagh as a leading tourism destination with a unique identity and unparalleled experiences
• maximising opportunities that can deliver a return on investment for the destination’s  tourism infrastructure projects 

As this activity brings increased responsibilities, a refocus will be required to appropriately resource the Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism team to achieve success and the growth targets outlined in this plan.

The requirement for this renewed focus is evident throughout the Key Findings outlined in the following section.  

In the contemporary context international tourism is in an uncertain place following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of international economic and geopolitical unrest. 

While the challenges are clear, in the current environment these co-exist with optimistic forecasts. Both the Department of the Economy’s Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland – 10 Year Plan and Tourism Ireland project growth in the value of tourism in Northern Ireland:

• the Department for the Economy’s Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland - 10 Year Plan (2024) sets out the strategic aim of increasing the value of tourism to the Northern Ireland economy by 50% -75% compared to 2019, or growth of 4%-6% per annum
• the Tourism Ireland Marketing Plan (2024) sets targets of driving tourism revenue growth in Northern Ireland by +6.5% year-on-year to 2030. This is compared to targeted island of Ireland growth of 5.6% average year on year growth to 2030.

Following research and consultations including with Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre, a target has been set to increase revenue generation via tourism in Lisburn & Castlereagh by 34% in 2030 compared with 2020: i.e., 5.6% per annum over six years 2025-2030.

This target serves to provide a benchmark against which tourism businesses can assess their performance and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council can assess destination-wide performance. 

Integrating all outcomes that have emerged, all activity over the next six-years will be guided by five strategic pillars: 

1. Position
2. Innovate
3. Collaborate
4. Nurture
5. Grow

While the following table summarises the key focal points for these pillars, the Action Plan 2025-2030 under section three outlines the objectives and stepwise actions to address under each pillar.

The Action Plan 2025-2030 under section 3 of this plan itemises the objectives and associated actions that apply to each of these pillars that need to be addressed over the coming years to achieve the vision, ambition and targets set out in this strategy.

This section explores the status of tourism in Lisburn & Castlereagh following the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 and outcomes relevant for the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030 under the following three headings:

• The Past: an overview of the vision, ambition and priorities in the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022
• Current Position: the status of tourism post the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 and prior to the initiation of the Tourism Strategy & Action Plan 2025-2030
• The Future: outcomes that inform the Tourism Strategy & Action Plan 2025-2030

The Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 sets out a vision for Lisburn & Castlereagh to achieve 10% growth in staying visitors and revenue spend by advancing as a “confident, vibrant and successful […] quality tourism destination” that offers “authentic quality experiences.”

Outlining how Lisburn & Castlereagh enjoys a prime eastern location close to the urban centres of Belfast and Dublin,  two international airports, M1 and A1 roads, rail links and accessible port links, five cornerstones were identified as key for tourism development:

1. The Gemstone
2. Refine    
3. Collaborate    
4. The Foundations    
5. Broadening the Charm

The Gemstone

This cornerstone focuses on investing in Royal Hillsborough to position the village that encompasses Hillsborough Forest and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens (the only location in Northern Ireland with Royal status) as the leading must-see visitor attraction in the Lisburn & Castlereagh district.

The Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 references financial investments secured to develop the village, castle, gardens, forest, Old Fort and Courthouse to deliver a programme of works under the Hillsborough Tourism Master Plan encompassing:

• public realm scheme for the heart of the village: a series of works focused on enhancing the quality of the village to include the streetscape, footpaths and access to them, traffic flow, street dressing and wayfinding, lighting and street furniture
• enhancing and upgrading the village’s tangible assets for the benefit of the local community and visitors: 17th century Hillsborough Old Fort, 18th century Old Courthouse, 18th century Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, Hillsborough Forest (in cooperation with the Northern Ireland Forest Service) 

Emphasising the historic and contemporary importance of Royal Hillsborough, the plan states how Royal Hillsborough:

• is the gemstone that sets the Lisburn & Castlereagh District apart from anywhere else 
• is key for positioning Lisburn & Castlereagh as a world-class tourist destination that will inspire further tourism growth across the whole council area
• is a prime location for world-class events and festivals that can attract domestic and international visitors
• will require investment in quality accommodation to realise its tourism potential

Refine

This cornerstone defines ways Lisburn & Castlereagh can be positioned as a quality tourism destination including through

• food: supporting the speciality food sector to establish the district as a leading culinary destination renowned for provenance, quality produce and exceptional producers
• events: supporting a calendar of vibrant events that share the story of people and place, including the Balmoral Show and Horse Racing that is synonymous with the district
• Lisburn: supporting the district’s only city by:
  • championing the Lisburn Historic Quarter
  • developing a new city centre hotel
  • emphasising the creative industries synonymous with Lisburn such as the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum
• Hub communities: championing the full breadth of the district across urban and rural areas encompassing charming towns, villages and hamlets and a compact city that is easy to navigate

Collaborate

A key cornerstone of the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022, the approach focuses on developing relationships with private, public and community partners including ambitions such as:

• Maze Long Kesh: exploring the tourism potential at Maze Long Kesh alongside the Ulster Aviation Society and Eikon Centre that are located here
• development of tourism packages: working with tourism industry partners and stakeholders to develop tourism packages 
  • with Hillsborough Caste and Gardens to encourage visitation at Royal Hillsborough village and the wider environs
  • between local tourism and hospitality businesses, including to emphasise the quality food and drink offering
• investment in accommodation: working with stakeholders and investors to achieve investment and development opportunities for quality accommodation across the district
• partner with all stakeholders and organisations such as Tourism Northern Ireland that can support tourism activity conducted by Lisburn and Castlereagh 

The Foundations

This cornerstone focuses on infrastructure to improve the quality of life for local people and the experience for visitors. It references the enhancement and development of roadways and waterways alongside regeneration projects within hub communities such as the West Lisburn Master Plan with a new spatial framework encompassing the revitalisation of Market Square, enhancing connectivity, commercial and retail development.

Broadening the Charm

This cornerstone recommends promoting the Lisburn & Castlereagh district as a series of boutique offerings across urban and rural areas to include:

• highlighting the vibrancy and uniqueness of the region’s hub communities across city, towns, villages and hamlets
• leveraging Royal Hillsborough to emphasise the unique character of the district 
• working closely with community to ensure that the district’s tourism development plans benefit local people as a priority, alongside the visitor
• showcasing how culture, heritage and the arts are intrinsic to the district’s story
• considering how signature leisure facilities such as the Dundonald International Ice Bowl can be positioned to attract domestic and international visitors

The Tourism Strategy 2018-2022 was the first tourism strategy coordinated by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council since its establishment as a local authority.  Soon after the initiation of this strategy, the world experienced unprecedented disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022 that stopped or limited domestic and international travel. 

Despite significant challenges, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council adopted a goal-focused approach that has led to achievements upon which the Tourism Strategy & Action Plan 2025-2030 can build. 

These include:

• multiple tourism infrastructure projects: for example:
  • Royal Hillsborough as a world-class heritage village: securing a+£26million investment to develop / enhance public realm and historic buildings
  • Digital sculpture trail in Hillsborough Forest: ten giant sculptures created by leading artists supported by an augmented reality digital App
  • Guess How Much I Love You trail: celebrating the author and lifelong Lisburn resident, Sam McBratney, writer of the international bestseller Guess How Much I Love You (1994)
• elevating the food and drink offering: 
  • raising the profile of the rich food and drink heritage, innovative producers and quality eateries as a primary motivator for visiting the Lisburn & Castlereagh area
  • developing a successful annual programme of farmers markets 
  • championing communities that champion provenance and quality Northern Ireland food and drink produce: e.g., the Speciality Food Fair in Moira (August annually) 
  • consider expanding the current Royal Hillsborough and Historic Moira tourism and business hospitality cluster to include a dedicated food and drink narrative
• securing investment in accommodation: 
  • the Haslem Hotel in Lisburn (2020): 45 rooms and 7 apartments, with restaurant, bar, meeting and function space 
  • Arthur’s Royal Hillsborough (2023): 12 luxury boutique rooms and café / restaurant
• events and festivals: an annual programme of major and community events to drive visitor footfall such as the Balmoral Show (+120,000 visitors in May annually) and the Down Royal Festival of Racing (November annually)
• integrated marketing campaigns: delivering an annual Integrated Marketing Campaign to increase awareness and footfall to the Lisburn & Castlereagh area

Expectations of the contemporary visitor

The world has changed since the pandemic. As outlined by Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland, the contemporary visitor seeks sustainable destinations that champion the environment and local people. These visitors:

• are interested in authentic experiences that share the story of people and place
• make considered choices about the services and destinations they invest in
• are mindful of their impact on people, planet and pocket

Balancing infrastructure development with tourism industry development

The resources of the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s tourism team to date have leaned toward the development of tourism infrastructure. 

Going forward to meet the needs of the contemporary visitor, this approach will need to be rebalanced so that the team is additionally supported to proactively invest in

Sustainable tourism development:

Working with tourism businesses and key stakeholders to ensure that all activity is underpinned by an ethos and practices that promote:

• safeguarding the environment
• championing local communities
• safeguarding livelihoods and the local economy

Experience development:

The curation of experiences that showcase the story of local people and across urban and rural communities across the following themes:

• culture, heritage and the arts
• food and drink 
• outdoor recreation, adventure and activities

Economic development:

The delivery of enterprise development supports that empower tourism businesses to make smart choices about where to invest their resources (time, human and financial) to 

• maximise social and economic benefits
• benefit local livelihoods and the economy

 
Collaborations, relationship building and partnerships:

Embedding a deep-rooted, multi-layered collaborative framework between Lisburn & Castlereagh’s

• tourism and hospitality business providers
• tourism industry and the local community
• tourism team with the local tourism industry and stakeholders that can support tourism development inc. Tourism Northern Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Visit Belfast

Communications:

Creation of compelling offline and online communications that present with clarity the destination’s unique story and tourism offering: 

• positioning Lisburn & Castlereagh as a destination with its own character differentiated by:
  • a slower pace of life, a deep sense of community, an accessible geography
  • unparalleled experiences: e.g., Royal Hillsborough, Ulster Aviation Society
  • immense natural beauty and vibrant hub communities with people who have the time to engage in conversation
• highlighting all relevant categories of tourism and hospitality business including:
  • accommodation providers: e.g., hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, caravanning, glamping and self-catering
  • visitor attractions: e.g., Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum 
  • experience and activity providers
  • events and festivals
  • places to eat and drink 
  • venues: for private and corporate occasions

Opportunities for growth

In May 2023, the World Health Organisation declared that the Covid-19 pandemic no longer represented a international health emergency. Since then, challenges continue to manifest including:

• the cost-of-living crisis as a primary concern among domestic and international markets
• evidence of the erosion of Northern Ireland’s value for money rating 
• the trend toward last-minute booking making it more difficult to predict future performance
• limited hotel capacity, curbing the potential to increase dwell time and maximise commercial opportunities

While these challenges are significant, there is optimism regarding tourism development in Northern Ireland. The Department for the Economy’s Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland - 10 Year Plan (2024): projects an increase in the value of tourism to the Northern Ireland economy by 50% -75% compared to 2019 (growth of 4%-6% per annum). The Tourism Ireland Marketing Plan (2024) projects tourism revenue growth in Northern Ireland of +6.5% year-on-year to 2030.

To achieve its fair share of growth, Lisburn and Castlereagh will need to adopt a twofold approach by continuing to progress tourism infrastructural development while nurturing tourism industry and destination development.

2.2.1 Strengths and Considerations

The following chart summarises the key strengths and considerations based on the current environment that Lisburn & Castlereagh need to be aware of and address in all future activity:

Strengths:

• passionate tourism industry and communities, eager to raise the profile of their destination
• prime eastern location with easy accessibility to Dublin and Belfast and wider exploration
• variety of city, town, villages and hamlets, each with their own character
• vibrant communities with a deep sense of identity across urban and rural areas
• new product development: Royal Hillsborough, Dundonald International 
• strong tourism product: golf, horse racing, visitor attractions
• product that is unparalleled in Ireland: e.g., Royal Hillsborough, Ulster Aviation Society
• ability to meet diverse visitor interests: culture & heritage, food and drink, adventure & activities
• scenic beauty: home to Lagan Valley Regional Park, NI’s only Regional Park
• quality and diversity of scenery: Lough Neagh (west), hills above Dundonald (east), Belfast hills (north), River Lagan (south)
• renowned for exceptional food and drink offering
• year-round calendar of community, larger scale events & festivals and farmers markets
• integrated marketing campaigns: raising the destinations’ profile in NI and ROI
• Visit Belfast partnership: expanding the potential to target new domestic and international visitors

Considerations:

• a need to position L&C as a destination with a unique identity, rather than as a suburb of  Belfast 
• a need to drive tourism dispersion across the destination across urban and rural areas
• while rich in tourism product, there is a lack of immersive experiences delivered by local people
• low supply of experiences bookable by independent visitors
• a lack of accommodation to achieve dwell time and a high proportion of ungraded accommodation
• tourism industry reporting a need for greater collaboration
• a need for LCCC’s tourism team to apply a balanced approach supporting a)  infrastructure development  and b)  the tourism industry with collaborative and economic development opportunities
• while there are champions of sustainable and accessible tourism, this is not consistent across industry
• a lack of data capture making it challenging to measure performance
• in the context of the Economic Development Efficiency Review, an opportunity to refocus LCCC’s tourism team to maximise social and economic opportunities, inc. by resourcing the following functions: product & partnership development, digital marketing

Taking stock of the situational analysis and the findings summarised in the executive summary, the following is a checklist of activity that is integral to the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030 so that opportunities are maximised for Lisburn & Castlereagh:

Apply a balanced approach    

Adopt a twofold approach that blends a commitment to

a) the development of quality tourism infrastructure and

b) tourism industry and destination development.

Infrastructure development and promotion

Promote existing tourism infrastructure so that it benefits the local community and visitors.

Successfully manage the development of projects that are underway (e.g., Royal Hillsborough) ensuring to promote these to generate benefits for the local community and visitors. 

Experience development 

Deliver enterprise development supports to curate experiences that authentically share the story of local people across urban and rural communities to meet the expectations of contemporary visitors.

Ensure that these experiences are bookable by independent visitors and private bookings to maximise opportunities.

Food and drink

Continue to champion LCCC as a destination renowned for quality food and drink, places to eat and drink.

Additionally, craft and promote food and drink-related experiences that allow for a deeper exploration of this priority theme.

Commercial development

Deliver enterprise development supports to maximise social and economic benefits by empowering LCCC’s tourism and hospitality industry to:

• make strategic choices about which sales channels, markets and customer segments to engage in 
• master data collation and analysis to assess progress, mitigate challenges and identify opportunities

Collaborative framework

Build a robust collaborative framework, noting that this is the foundation for all successful tourism destinations:

• between Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council departments
• between Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s tourism team and local tourism and hospitality providers
• across Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism industry
• between Lisburn & Castlereagh and external stakeholders that can benefit the destination including Visit Belfast, Lough Neagh Partnership, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland

Sustainable Tourism Development

Embed an ethos of sustainable and regenerative tourism development, ensuring that this informs all activity.

Apply a dual approach:

a) led by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland  policies and

b) industry-led: empowering tourism providers to adopt and promote Leave No Trace principles.

Social Inclusion & accessibility

Place social inclusion at the heart of all activity and champion accessible tourism development.

Invest in accommodation  

Proactively seek investors to develop quality sustainable accommodation that is suited to LCCC’s profile, to include luxury lodge style accommodation.

Events and festivals    

Continue to champion the annual community and large-scale events programme while curating a signature festival with an innovate concept and programming that can generate opportunities during the low season, potentially by expanding LCCC’s Christmas markets across December and into the New Year.

Investigate Tourism Potential    

Work with key stakeholders to support the development of experiences that are unique in Ireland including:

• Royal Hillsborough
• Ulster Aviation Society
• EIKON exhibition centre and Maze Long Kesh 
• Down Royal Racecourse 
• Lagan Valley Regional Park AONB: jointly funded by LCCC and Belfast City Council 

Noting that Dundonald International Ice Bowl (DIIB) in its current format reads as a sports and recreational offering rather a tourism offering, assess if and how DIIB can be positioned and developed as part of LCCC’s wider tourism offering

Integrated Marketing Campaigns    

Continue with the management of campaigns conducted by LCCC’s tourism team that have been successful in raising the district’s profile and driving footfall from the NI and ROI markets.

Data collation and analysis    

Collate an annual report (2025-2030) so that progress is visible and measurable to include NISRA, Tourism Northern Ireland, Tourism Ireland data; in-destination visitor counter data; local market research data; data collated via a survey issued to tourism businesses.

Communications    

Position Lisburn & Castlereagh as a place apart with its own unique identity and character that is home to authentic and unparalleled experiences:

• consider how a) LCCC can benefit from Visit Belfast’s approach to “neighbourhood tourism” and b) if/how LCCC should continue to be branded by Visit Belfast under the Belfast Plus brand in the future 
• promote the tourism offering across the following categories to encompass visitor attractions, activity and experience providers, events and festivals, places to eat, drink and stay
  • natural assets: i.e., places of interest and natural beauty
  • culture and heritage
  • outdoor recreation, adventure and activities
  • food and drink experiences
  • events and festivals: community and large-scale events
  • places to eat and drink: e.g., restaurants, gastro pubs, cafes
  • places to stay: e.g., hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, self-catering

Be strategic

Ensure that all activity targets the opportunities that are most suited to LCCC including:

Customers:

•  individuals, groups
• couples, families
• inter-generational travellers
• soft adventurers, golfers
• enthusiasts of nature, culture and heritage, food and drink, soft adventure and outdoor activities

Markets:

• NI
• ROI
• North America
• GB
• France
• Germany    

Tourism:

• Leisure tourism: a priority
• Luxury tourism
• Business tourism

Visit Belfast

Continue to partner with Visit Belfast via an agreed SLA to maximise opportunities via NI, ROI and international markets:

•  agree metrics so that outcomes can be measured
• assess the SLA after a defined period (e.g., 3-5 years) to decide how best to proceed into the future

Lough Neagh Partnership

Explore the following opportunities:

• potential for new experience development
• potential collaborations with LN tourism providers
• how to profile LN as part of the district’s tourism offering

Spread social and economic benefits    

Leverage the promotion of signature attractions such as Royal Hillsborough. ensuring that this promotion maximises social and economic benefits for urban and rural communities.

Address Visitor Services    

Enhance the Visitor Information Services (VIC):

1. At the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum give equal consideration to the:

• provision of customer-centric VIC services
• delivery of a quality visitor experience via the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum as a visitor attraction

2. Address the mobile Visitor Information service (trailer) currently based at Hillsborough Forest Park:

• installing services such as a power point and WIFI in the trailer so that work can be conducted during quiet times
• adding external communications to include QR codes, local tips and maps to maximise promotional opportunities
• using the trailer as a flexible VIC in the future that can be placed anywhere in the district as required to maximise opportunities

3.  Install a permanent Visitor Information Centre at Hillsborough Forest Park to: 

• service the +600,000 visitors to the park
• raise awareness about the tourism offering in Royal Hillsborough and (importantly) throughout the Lisburn & Castlereagh district

    
Across all Visitor Services:

• reduce the use of print materials
• adopt a hybrid approach: noting that the contemporary visitor wants to a) meet a person who can share local insights seconded by b) information provided by digital communications
• invest in training and robust data collation to maximise opportunities and achieve measurable success
• think innovation: e.g., during high demand periods 
  • extending visitor services on bike or by foot 
  • recruiting and training volunteers to support visitor services
  • training tourism businesses (e.g., accommodation providers) to extend the work of VIC’s by generating referral and packaged opportunities for the district

Refocus LCCC’s tourism team    

To achieve the ambition and growth target outlined in this plan, refocus LCCC’s tourism team in the context of the Economic Development Efficiency Review by considering how to resource the following functions: product and partnership development, digital marketing.

Action plan 2025-2030

The Action Plan in Section 3 identifies the activity that needs to be addressed to achieve the vision, ambition and growth target set out in this plan under the following five strategic pillars:

1. Position: position Lisburn & Castlereagh as an exemplary, sustainable and socially inclusive tourism destination 
2. Innovate: be a frontrunner in innovation, ensuring that this is a hallmark of all activity
3. Collaborate: be a champion of collaboration by embedding a collaborative framework within the destination and developing strategic partnerships outside the destination
4. Nurture: promote Lisburn & Castlereagh as a destination defined by integrity and thoughtful hospitality
5. Grow: support local livelihoods, economic growth and enterprise development across urban and rural areas and communities
    

The objectives and actions outlined in this plan align with the recommended twofold approach to be adopted by Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism team with the support of council to maximise social and economic benefits as outlined below

1. Infrastructural investment and development:

The curation of high-quality tangible infrastructure that has been a core responsibility for Lisburn & Castlereagh’s tourism team over the lifetime of the Tourism Strategy 2018-2022, and will remain a priority over the lifetime of the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030

2. Tourism industry and destination development:

That will be an additional core priority over the lifetime of the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030

The Action Plan outlines the timebound actions to target under the following seven objectives: 

1. Embed a collaborative framework in the destination
2. Invest in tourism product, new experience and events & festival development
3. Invest in enterprise development and data analysis processes
4. Invest in communications, positioning L&C as a destination with a distinct identity 
5. Embed a culture of responsible tourism in all activity 
6. Reimagine Visitor Services to inspire visitors
7. Work in partnership with Visit Belfast to maximise opportunities

While the plan recommends actions to address, this list is not exhaustive and will be expanded upon during the lifetime of this plan in line with industry innovations and as new initiatives and opportunities arise aligned with the ambition of this plan.

Timings of actions within this plan

• Immediate Term (IT): 2025 Year 1 / Y1
• Short-term (ST): 2026-2027 Years 2-3 / Y2, Y3
• Medium-term (MT): 2028-2029 Years 4-5 / Y4, Y5
• Long-term (LT): 2030 Year 6 / Y6

For each noted action the relevant strategic pillar/s that applies is indicated:

1. Position
2. Innovate    
3. Collaborate    
4. Nurture    
5. Grow

While Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council will lead this plan, its success is dependent upon proactive engagement from the district’s tourism industry and the support of stakeholders here noted:

AIPCO:  Association of Professional Conference Organisers
AVEA:  Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions
BCC:  Belfast City Council 
IAAT:  Ireland’s Association for Adventure Tourism
IGTOA:  Irish Golf Tour Operators Association
ITOA:  Irish Tour Operators Association
LC:  Local Chamber
LCCC:  Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council
LCIND:  Lisburn & Castlereagh tourism industry
LCCOM:  Lisburn & Castlereagh communities
LNP:  Lough Neagh Partnership
LNT:  Leave No Trace
PS:  Private Sector
TNI:  Tourism Northern Ireland
TI:  Tourism Ireland
VB:  Visit Belfast

Click this link to view the objectives of how we will deliver this strategy and action plan with our stakeholders (Word document)