1. Know the basics - know your business

1. Know the Basics - Know your Business

Operating a Tourism Business is an exciting prospect for many, as it often starts off as a passion or an interest. Many of the most successful tourism businesses in Northern Ireland today grew from an interest in outdoor activity such as walking, hiking or boating, traditional skills such as breadmaking, or an interest in the environment, culture or heritage. For some it is a lifestyle choice, a wish to get of the daily treadmill and do something different. For an increasing number, they have identified a market opportunity arising from the growth in visitor numbers to Northern Ireland or diversifying an existing business such as farming or production to add a visitor element. Over time many of these have become a viable and sustainable business, employing local people and contributing significantly to the total visitor spend for Northern Ireland.

Give your customers what they want

Your tourism business is a unique part of Northern Ireland’s tourism offering. How visitors feel about Northern Ireland will reflect all the individual experiences they had during their trip, no matter how big or small. The more customer-focused businesses are, the more successful the Northern Ireland tourism experience (and your business) will be.

Different customers will want different things, from more active to more passive experiences – but the principles for your business remain the same…

• Get the basics right - To satisfy customers’ basic needs your core business foundation should be based on a quality product, excellent value, good customer service and a connection with your surrounding area.

• Innovate your offer - Go one step further and exceed their expectations. Think about how what you offer could help to create special memories. Innovation doesn’t always need high levels of investment. Sometimes doing the simple things well can make a big impact.

The changing tourism environment

Over the past decade, changing consumer behaviour has had a dramatic impact on global tourism. Traditionally, tourism destinations developed a series of products and services – a hotel room, a beach, a beautiful landscape – which were packaged up and sold to customers in a generic way. However, changing needs and expectations have led today’s tourists to do things differently. Increasingly, they are looking for bespoke offerings that provide them with once-in-a-lifetime experiences that closely match their individual needs and aspirations. They want to be engaged on a personal level and feel something from the places they visit,to be touched by the stories of the people and actively participate in the culture and community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on consumer sentiment and what they want from a holiday. The re-opening and re-building of our visitor destinations will be a challenge - re-focusing on closer to home markets for the short to medium term and putting  health and safety first and foremost in the minds of the tentative traveller. Health, well-being, sustainability and more emphasis on nature and outdoor activity will be important trends for the industry to consider as they develop their experiences, itineraries and offers for the “New Normal”.

Create the ‘wow’ factor

Reflecting on their experience, visitors will want to say that they got a real sense of what Northern Ireland is all about; they will want to have had ‘wow factor’ moments that they can brag about to their friends on social media; and they will want to feel that they have discovered ‘hidden gems’, the sorts of things that aren’t listed in the guidebook.

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