Titanic Belfast named as Northern Ireland's most popular tourist attraction

Titanic Belfast was Northern Ireland's most visited tourist attraction in 2022, according to figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistic and Research Agency (NISRA).

The visitor hot-spot was closely followed in popularity by the Derry Walls and the Giant's Causeway.

During the same time period, hotel bookings in Northern Ireland experienced a "stronger than expected recovery" since the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2022, NISRA reported that more than 2.1m hotel rooms were sold in Northern Ireland, however overall figures remain slightly down on pre-pandemic levels.

NISRA figures show more than 512,000 rooms and 941,000 beds were sold in guesthouses, guests accommodation and B&Bs last year in Northern Ireland.

That's an increase of 67% in room sales and a 70% increase in bed sales compared to 2021.

The number of people from the Republic of Ireland who spent their holiday in Northern Ireland increased compared to pre-pandemic levels by 2%.

Tourist attractions, Titanic Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, saw visitation numbers grow by 173% and 298% respectively.

Yet, these figures have not broken pre-pandemic 2019 levels - something which NISRA puts down to the cost of living and inflation.

CEO of Tourism Northern Ireland, John McGrillen said the latest tourism figures "represent a comprehensive insight into the recovery of our industry across a number of sectors".

"Northern Ireland’s attraction sector was severely impacted by the pandemic, and the significant reduction in overseas visitors, but signs of recovery are evident in the survey findings”. 

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