Tourism Northern Ireland

What Tourism Northern Ireland does

Tourism Northern Ireland (legally the Northern Ireland Tourist Board) is a non-departmental public body established in 1992 under The Tourism (Northern Ireland) Order 1992, sponsored by and accountable to the Department for the Economy of the Northern Ireland Executive. The organisation is headquartered at Linum Chambers, Bedford Square, Belfast, employs between 101 and 250 staff, and operates the trading names Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism NI. Its statutory remit spans three functions: developing and marketing Northern Ireland as a tourist destination, administering funding to tourism businesses, and certifying and inspecting tourist accommodation (without which it is illegal to offer tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland).

The organisation's product portfolio is anchored by the Discover NI consumer platform (discovernorthernireland.com) for destination marketing and bookings, the MyTourismNI industry portal for business engagement, and a research stack consisting of Tourism 360°, Consumer Sentiment Analysis, Tourism Performance Statistics, and the Tourism Industry Barometer. Funding and business-support products include the Experience Development Programme, Tourism Events Funding Programme (International Tourism Events Fund, National Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme), Website Development Programme, Workplace Excellence Programme, Sustainable Tourism Business Programme, and Tourism Enterprise Development Programme. The Northern Ireland Content Pool is a joint asset library with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, hosted via Orange Logic. Bespoke technology includes the Flexigrant Grant Management System for administering financial assistance, and an online booking layer integrated with Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB). The wider stack uses Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, AWS, SurveyMonkey, CensShare, SimpleView, Optimizely, GetGot, and Cognito Forms. The destination brand is 'Embrace a Giant Spirit'.

Tourism NI does not operate a commercial revenue model. It is funded by the Department for the Economy to deliver its statutory functions; revenue streams and pricing are not commercially disclosed. Its go-to-market is B2B-direct: account management with accommodation providers, attractions, event organisers, tour operators, food and drink establishments, and other tourism businesses, supplemented by partnerships with regional tourism bodies (Visit Belfast, Visit Derry, Fermanagh Lakelands Tourism) and sector partners (NIHF). Consumer-facing distribution is through Discover NI, TXGB-integrated bookings, and 31 Visitor Information Centres. Cross-border coordination is handled through strategic partnerships with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland.

Name

Tourism Northern Ireland

Legal name

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Website

https://tourismni.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Tourism Northern Ireland is the Northern Ireland government's non-departmental public body, established in 1992 under The Tourism (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 to develop, market, and regulate tourism. It certifies tourist accommodation, administers funding schemes, and operates the Discover NI consumer platform. It is funded by and accountable to the Department for the Economy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Development and Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Destination marketing organization
• Tourism development services
• Tourist accommodation certification
• Tourism research and insights
• Tourism funding programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Tourism NI is a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for the Economy. It does not generate commercial revenue but receives public funding to deliver its statutory functions of developing and marketing Northern Ireland as a tourist destination and regulating tourist accommodation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tourism Northern Ireland is a non-departmental public body that develops and markets Northern Ireland as a visitor destination. It certifies and inspects tourist accommodation under statutory authority, administers public funding schemes to tourism businesses, runs destination marketing campaigns (Embrace a Giant Spirit), coordinates major events, publishes tourism research and insights (Tourism 360°, Industry Barometer), and operates the Discover NI consumer platform and TXGB booking integration for accommodation and experiences.

Product overview

Tourism Northern Ireland operates as a destination marketing and development organization offering a multi-platform portfolio comprising consumer-facing websites (Discover Northern Ireland), industry portals (MyTourismNI), research and insights products (Tourism 360°, Consumer Sentiment Analysis, Tourism Performance Statistics, Tourism Industry Barometer), business support programmes (Workplace Excellence, Sustainable Tourism, Enterprise Development), destination branding (Embrace a Giant Spirit), funding management systems (Flexigrant, Events Funding Programme), and booking integrations (TXGB). The organization also provides a Content Pool asset library for industry marketing use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Discover Northern Ireland (discovernorthernireland.com) Official consumer tourism website for Northern Ireland allowing visitors to discover attractions, accommodation, and experiences and tourism businesses to promote their products.
• MyTourismNI Online portal for Northern Ireland tourism businesses to build company profiles, promote offerings, register for events, access training, and participate in research.
• Tourism 360° Research and insights platform providing tourism intelligence, trends, and performance data for local and global tourism markets, available as reports and infographics.
• Consumer Sentiment Analysis Research product delivering in-depth analysis of consumer confidence, propensity to travel, and consumer concerns to inform tourism strategy.
• Tourism Performance Statistics Performance updates, summaries, reports and infographics on the latest Northern Ireland tourism performance statistics.
• Tourism Industry Barometer Survey-based industry monitoring tool tracking business performance, outlook, concerns and optimism indicators for Northern Ireland's tourism sector.
• Northern Ireland Content Pool Online library of free promotional images, videos, and marketing assets enabling Northern Ireland tourism businesses to co-promote the destination, hosted collaboratively with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland.
• Workplace Excellence Programme Two-year tourism business growth programme designed to build long-term success through the creation of a culture of workplace excellence.
• Sustainable Tourism Business Programme Programme supporting tourism businesses in developing sustainable practices and environmental responsibility.
• Tourism Enterprise Development Programme Programme helping tourism businesses grow through enterprise development support and guidance.
• Experience Development Programme Capital funding programme providing financial assistance to tourism organisations to support development of visitor experiences aligned with the Embrace a Giant Spirit brand.
• Tourism Events Funding Programme Financial assistance programme supporting festivals and events through schemes including the International Tourism Events Fund and the National Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme.
• Website Development Programme Programme helping tourism businesses develop websites and digital presence through digital audits and website development plans.
• America250 Visitor Experiences New portfolio of 14 visitor experiences launched in July 2026 to celebrate America250 and attract American visitors to Northern Ireland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tourism accounts for approximately 1 in 12 jobs in Northern Ireland
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Tourism IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland in Great Britain and overseas. Tourism NI works in cooperation with Tourism Ireland for strategic destination marketing and is represented on the Tourism Ireland Board by the Chief Executive.
• Fáilte IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Content Pool initiative, providing a shared library of promotional images, videos, and marketing assets for the island of Ireland. Both tourism bodies work together to promote the region.
• Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB)coreTechnology or IntegrationTXGB provides an online booking platform for Northern Ireland's accommodation, attractions, and visitor experiences. When visitors make bookings through TXGB, they are redirected from Tourism NI websites and TXGB manages all personal and financial information.
• Department for the EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism NI is a non-departmental public body of the Department for the Economy, which appoints the Tourism NI Board and sets strategic direction. Tourism NI acts as Investment Decision Maker for tourism projects on behalf of the Department.
• Local AuthoritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authorities partner with Tourism NI for tourism development activities, planning applications requiring tourism perspective, and shared delivery of tourism services. Data sharing agreements exist with local councils under the Planning Act.
• Visit BelfastmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional tourism partnership organization providing tourism product development assistance and marketing at regional and international levels.
• Visit DerrymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional tourism partnership organization supporting members in providing assistance with tourism product development and marketing locally and internationally.
• Fermanagh Lakelands TourismmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional tourism partnership organization supporting tourism product development and marketing in the Fermanagh Lakelands area.
• Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit limited company representing the hotel and guesthouse sectors in Northern Ireland, identifying and reviewing issues affecting the hospitality industry and lobbying on economic and employment opportunities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Destination Canada: Canada's national destination marketing organisation, federally funded to market Canada internationally as a tourist destination. Comparable as a national-scale government-funded DMO with research and industry development functions.
• Brand USA: USA's national destination marketing organisation, public-private partnership promoting inbound travel to the United States. The America250 visitor experiences programme places Tourism NI in direct promotional conversation with Brand USA.
• Tourism Australia: Australian government statutory authority for international tourism marketing and research. Comparable as a federally funded DMO with sophisticated research products (similar to Tourism NI's Tourism 360°) and global marketing campaigns.
• Tourism New Zealand: New Zealand's national tourism organisation, funded by government and responsible for international destination marketing and industry development. A broadly comparable national DMO with similar statutory remit but a much larger international scope.
• Switzerland Tourism: National tourism marketing board of Switzerland, government-owned and operating global destination marketing, industry support, and quality labelling. A long-established comparable DMO with strong heritage brand focus similar to Tourism NI's positioning.

Direct peers

• VisitScotland: Scotland's national tourism agency, responsible for destination marketing, industry support, and quality assurance schemes (e.g., VisitScotland Quality Assurance). Operates with a comparable statutory remit and is directly comparable as a UK constituent country tourism body.
• VisitBritain: UK's national tourism agency for inbound marketing, operating under the British Tourist Authority. Direct comparable as a publicly funded destination marketing organisation with similar stakeholder services and funding model.
• Tourism Ireland: Cross-border tourism marketing body for the island of Ireland, jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI. Tourism NI's Chief Executive sits on its Board, making it both a partner and a structural counterpart in overseas marketing.
• Visit Wales: Welsh Government tourism body operating within the same UK policy framework as Tourism NI. Performs destination marketing, industry development, and quality grading for Welsh tourism businesses — a directly comparable constituent-country DMO.
• Fáilte Ireland: National Tourism Authority of the Republic of Ireland, performing destination marketing, industry development, and accommodation quality assurance — a direct functional mirror of Tourism NI on the same island. Collaborates on the shared Content Pool initiative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/TourismNI
• Facebookfacebook.com/TourismNI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TourismNI
• Xx.com/NITouristBoard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-ireland-tourist-board

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tourism Northern Ireland