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Tourism Northern Ireland joined forces with the Southern Regional College and other Further and Higher Education Colleges in the north for a tour at Long Meadow Cider in Co Armagh to celebrate World Tourism Day, bringing together key officials and lecturers to highlight the sector's contribution to the local economy.
Recognising the key role that Further and Higher Education tourism lecturers play in educating and inspiring learners who are ultimately the future pipeline of tourism employees, during the event tourism and hospitality lecturers learned about the work currently being undertaken by Tourism NI.
Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience and Industry Development at Tourism NI, outlined the strategic ambition for tourism aligned to the Tourism Vision and Action Plan, which aims to grow the value of tourism to £2 billion by 2035. She also explored the latest visitor market research and provided an update on plans for the continuation of the Tourism Careers Programme, which is aimed at promoting tourism and hospitality as a career of choice.
The lecturers also received updates on Tourism NI's Sustainable Tourism Business Programme, the Tourism Enterprise Programme and the organisation's innovative e-learning platform MyTourismNI. Those gathered also heard an update from Tourism NI's Major Events team who are looking ahead to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast next August.,
Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience and Industry Development at Tourism NI, said: "It was wonderful to come together with our colleagues in the education sector to mark World Tourism Day in the beautiful surroundings of Long Meadow Cider. The tourism lecturers have a critical role to play in inspiring students and ensuring they are fully prepared for joining the tourism industry in years to come. We are a sector based on people and having a pipeline of future talent through our college networks right across Northern Ireland is of vital importance for the long-term sustainability and success of our sector."
The event underlined the importance of collaboration between the tourism industry and education sector in developing the next generation of tourism professionals across Northern Ireland.
