THE official opening of the 30 bedroom Trinity Hotel in Derry last week is being seen as a milestone in the development of the tourism industry in the city.

The hotel, the first to be opened on the west bank of the Foyle since the 1970s, was built at a cost of £3.6 million sterling by the Garvan O'Doherty Group, with assistance from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Department of the Environment.

"Over 90 per cent of the staff have completed the Welcome Host programme," Mr O'Doherty said. "This will help to ensure that our customers get a quality of service second to none.

Mr O'Doherty owns 10 licensed premises in Derry and Omagh and a number of other projects are planned, including the construction of a £1.5 million travel lodge on the Culmore Road.