How to Develop and Grow a Viable and Sustainable Tourism Business

Introduction

This toolkit has been designed to ensure that every tourism business has an understanding of the key building blocks of tourism development in NI.  Information is regularly updated to ensure the information is tourism specific, timely and relevant.  It contains useful links and signposts you to Tourism NI business support and other avenues of support at a local Council and NI level.

Tourism Roles and Responsibilities

Tourism Northern Ireland (Tourism NI) is responsible for the development of tourism and the marketing of Northern Ireland as a tourist destination to domestic tourists, from within Northern Ireland, and to visitors from the Republic of Ireland. We are a non-departmental public body of the Department for the Economy and we work closely with other tourism bodies to help develop the visitor economy here and to market Northern Ireland to incoming visitors. 

Tourism  Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination. This includes the GB market. 

 The 11 Local Councils in NI have responsibility for local destination marketing and  business support under local economic development measures. Environmental Health are also responsible for general health and safety standards including Food Hygiene etc.

The toolkit supports you to think through and assess your tourism product and allows you to follow a structured, accessible development framework in your own time.  You have access to initial market research, basic templates and links to additional information, support and key contacts to explore in more detail.

Each stage will have best practice case study examples (including short videos, sound bytes) from successful tourism businesses.