27 Mar 2025
Tourism NI flagship event “excellent opportunity” to showcase region on a global stage
More than 200 local tourism businesses came together in Lisburn today to pitch their world-class products to 160 international tourism buyers.
Tourism Northern Ireland’s annual Meet The Buyer event, which is taking place today and tomorrow at the Eikon Centre, is the biggest tourism networking event in Northern Ireland.
This year’s workshops have attracted record numbers of attendees, both local industry and overseas tourism buyers, with approximately 5,000 one-to-one meetings due to take place throughout the event.
The 160 international buyers, from 16 global markets including the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Nordics and closer to home markets, have made the journey to Northern Ireland for the event.
Local industry will use Meet The Buyer, which is delivered in partnership with Tourism Ireland, as an opportunity to showcase their individual offerings with the aim of being included in future itinerary programmes which the buyers will design for their clients who are keen to visit Northern Ireland.
Taking place over the course of a week, the wider Meet The Buyer gathering also includes networking events and number of familiarisations trips, which allow the buyers the chance to visit and see at first hand some of Northern Ireland’s top tourism offerings.
Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald, who opened the event, said: “My goal is that tourism expenditure from our overnight visitors will exceed £2 billion by 2035. Key events such as Meet The Buyer play a significant role in helping us achieve this by showing operators from across the world what we have to offer.
“From our excellent accommodation portfolio, our golf courses, our hospitality, food and drink offerings to our stunning landscapes, visitor attractions, and culture and heritage - we are a must-see destination. Meet The Buyer helps showcase this to the world and ensure the North is on the itinerary of visitors from across the world.”
John McGrillen, Chief Executive of Tourism Northern Ireland, said: “Meet The Buyer is an excellent opportunity to showcase the rich and diverse range of tourism products we have here in the North.
“It is also a fantastic platform for our hardworking and talented local tourism businesses to connect on a one-to-one basis with international tour operators, who bring valuable tourists to the region.
“Not only will Meet The Buyer shine a spotlight on the region as the world-class visitor destination that it is, but it will help drive our global tourism potential which will ultimately support the local economy”.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “This is a key event in the industry calendar and a great opportunity for our local tourism partners to connect with our international tour operator partners, who bring valuable tourists to Northern Ireland and the island.
“We’re taking every opportunity to shine a spotlight on Northern Ireland, showcasing iconic reasons to travel here and expanding people’s bucket lists from best-known spots to hidden gems.”