Belfast becomes one of the world’s ‘fastest growing cruise destinations’
Full report on the BBC News
A record number of luxury cruise ships have come to Belfast this year, making it one of the fastest growing cruise destinations in the world.
Almost 80,000 passengers and crew have sailed into Belfast this year on 43 different tourist ships. In recent years, numbers have soared. Next year, more than 50 are expected.
So what’s the big attraction?
The Giant’s Causeway, golf and Titanic Belfast are pulling in the visitors. However, there is also a human factor – curiosity. Curiosity is a huge driver for tourism. A lot of people are curious about Belfast and Northern Ireland.
The Glens of Antrim, the walls of Londonderry and Belfast’s shopping districts are also proving very popular.
Money has been invested in Belfast Harbour to ensure it can cope with the
increasingly large vessels sailing into the city, including the latest arrival,
the 113,000-tons Emerald Princess.
The Titanic Visitor Centre has attracted more than 500,000 visitors since it opened six months ago – double what was expected.
The cruise ship business alone is worth an estimated £15m a year to Northern Ireland’s economy.
dribblingpensioner 
Glad to hear it! Belfast is a great city (Northern Ireland is great in general) and the Northern Irish are some of the nicest people you can meet.
You are so right with everything 🙂
We were in town to-day ( Sunday ) and it was lovely with so many visitors.
‘it was lovely with so many visitors’ Glad to hear that us tourists aren’t annoying you guys too much! 😉
The more that arrive the better 🙂
Hi Harry, Northern Ireland/Belfast are definitely great places to visit with much to offer: beautiful landscapes, culture, sparkling city life and, of course, lovely people! Have you had the chance to visit the Titanic Belfast yet?
I’m not too surprised, after all I’ve heard it’s a beautiful place! I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland and if I’m lucky I’ll be there, though I’m not sure yet if it’s going to be North. Is it more urbanized than rural?
Never mind, that was a stupid question.
🙂
Spend a week in each, theres plenty to see, and north and south are rural with a few good sized cities.
I would love to visit Ireland in the near future. there’s a UK tour availabale and the cost is affordable… England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland tour. Mom is checking that one out with the travel agency.
It must be three weeks or more Ren, i hope it comes to northern ireland 🙂
Imagine what this place would be like if the political/religion thing didn’t exist ? It would be a fantastic place to be proud of and be part of IMO
It is a great place so much going on, people tend to ignore the political/religion thing we are getting on with our lives.
People are proud of Northern Ireland ( well 95% ) for the pace of life and thats its totatlly different from the rest of Briton.
Harry, I totally agree with you on those points but the 5% bad apples have the habit of making the rest of the barrel bad
I know, but only 1% of the 5% are rotten to the core 🙂
Belfast….a metropolis of old world and new
I was there in 1957
A long trek we did do
But to see spectacular hillsides
Lush green valleys are there too
I must return to Belfast
There is so much more to do
Dewey