Calling all Event Organisers

Northern Ireland Tourist Board's Event Funding Programme will open on Monday 10 September 2012. It is designed to support and further develop national and international tourism events taking place between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014.

There are two funding programmes available:

1. National Tourism Events Fund; and
2. International Tourism Events Fund

In line with the Draft Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2020, NITB aims to increase tourism spend to £1 billion and increase visitor numbers to 4.5 million by 2020. The development of high quality events is crucial to the delivery of these objectives. Events that are selected for support will increase visitor numbers and spend in the local economy and raise the profile of Northern Ireland as a place to live, work, study and visit. The programme will open on Monday 10 September 2012 at 9am and close sharply on Monday 22 October 2012 at 12 noon. However, applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible to ensure applications are submitted on time.

2013 sees another major year for tourism events in Northern Ireland with Derry~Londonderry celebrating a packed programme of activity as the UK's inaugural City of Culture. With this as a platform, NITB is encouraging all event organisers to consider the themes of this Year of Culture in their event applications.

NITB Events Team is holding a series of roadshows regarding the Tourism Event Funding Programme:

• Belfast: Monday 10 September, 10.00am, Titanic Belfast
• Derry~Londonderry: Tuesday 11 September, 10.00am, Everglades Hotel
• Enniskillen: Wednesday 12 September, 10.00am, Killyhevlin Hotel
• Coleraine: Thursday 13 September, 10.00am, Lodge Hotel
• Newry: Friday 14 September, 10.00am, Canal Court Hotel