Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has launched its programme ‘Historic Hillsborough and Moira Foodie Destination’ aimed at boosting the local tourism and hospitality economy within these areas through combined experience collaboration; and are calling for local businesses to sign up.

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), through its Rural Tourism Collaborative Experience (RTCE) Programme, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council wishes to work together with the rural communities of Hillsborough and Moira to create combined experiences that will drive footfall, overnight stays, day trips and increase dwell time and visitor spend. The aim of the programme is to widen awareness of what is on offer to residents and tourists alike.

Speaking about the programme, Chair of Development Committee, Alderman Amanda Grehan, said “We are delighted to be launching this programme at a time when our local tourism and hospitality sector requires our help, now more than ever. This new programme is an opportunity to celebrate the food and drink offerings and capitalise on these through effective, targeted and imaginative collaboration. It is an opportunity for us to work hand in hand with our rural areas, Hillsborough and Moira, to harness, innovate, create and celebrate entrepreneurship.

“Visitor experiences have become increasingly important to tourism as they offer destinations an opportunity to differentiate and celebrate indigenous foods and unique locations. Whilst food and drink is a vehicle through which visitors can learn about heritage, landscape and culture as well as meet other people, it also accounts for a significant proportion of visitor spend. But the aim of this programme is to connect the wider tourism and hospitality sector of Hillsborough and Moira together, to demonstrate how a day out has the potential to extend to a fun filled day or a weekend long adventure.”

This cluster programme will seek to integrate local authentic food and drink businesses with tourism providers in Hillsborough and Moira to create combined visitor experiences and itineraries. The programme is open to existing tourism and hospitality businesses operating within the Hillsborough and Moira council areas. It will be facilitated by local business growth consultancy, Pinnacle Growth Group.

In order to be eligible, you must be:

  • A resident or a service based or operational business within either the Hillsborough and/or Moira area.
  • Be willing to collaborate with other tourism businesses in the Hillsborough and/or Moira area.
  • Be willing to work with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council on creating combined visitor experiences that could generate economic benefits for your business and the wider destination.
  • Be willing to share your story for publicity around the final itineraries created.
  • Engage with the marketing of the final itineraries and combined experiences created as a result of this programme.

To register an interest, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7RXFCZY by Friday 16th July 2021 at 4pm. For more information, please contact Hannah Williams on 028 92636713 or email lccc@pinnaclegrowth.group