Strategy 2009-2012

The Tourism Development Strategy and Action Plan for 2009-2012 ‘Focus on the Future’ builds on the success of the Walled City Signature Project and seeks to transform Derry from ‘Signature Project’ to ‘Signature ‘Destination’ as well as gateway and regional hub. It focuses on five areas: the Historic City Core; Foyle and riverside; Ebrington; the wider Derry City Council area and its regional hinterland of the Sperrins, Causeway Coast and Donegal. 

 

Our Vision

Derry~Londonderry will be the primary Destination City for heritage and cultural experience in the island of Ireland.

 

Our Mission

To consistently grow the tourism economy of Derry by 8% per annum over the period of the Tourism Development Strategy by utilising the full potential of its unique historic and cultural assets and by investing in new infrastructures, enhancing human resources and creating unique visitor experiences to expand tourism in the City and region. 

The Strategy identifies the following themes as priorities in the period up to 2012:

• The historic/heritage theme, which has the Walled City Signature Project as its core

• The City’s contemporary history ‘Journey to Peace’

• The development and expansion of the existing arts and cultural theme

• The development of the new Performance Plaza at Ebrington

• The development of the River Foyle and its banks, the most under-used of the City’s assets

 

The Pillars

The Action Plan is structured under the following six essential ‘pillars’ which when implemented together will create a destination that can compete on the international scale:

1. Daytime attractions, activities and special interest opportunities
2. Access and destination transport
3. Accommodation Development
4. Developing our cuisine offering
5. Evening and night-time economy development
6. Tourism services development

Tourism has also been identified as one of the key ‘catalyst programmes’ in the ‘One City, One Plan, One Voice’ Regeneration Plan for the City to accelerate the growth of tourism and cultural economy through the UK City of Culture framework.