Northern Ireland today started a major campaign to attract foreign tourists by holding a marketing workshop.
Over 170 tour operators from 24 countries were in Belfast for the workshop selling Northern Ireland as the "must-visit" destination.
It was a 70 per cent increase in the number of operators at previous such events and attracted representatives from Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Japan and South Africa.
They were meeting 200 delegates from the local tourism industry and being told what Northern Ireland offers the foreign holidaymaker.
Sir Reg Empey, the Northern Ireland minister for enterprise, trade and investment, insisted that Northern Ireland had never been in a stronger position to achieve real tourism growth.
Mr Empey said: "As we enter the main season, there is growing confidence that there will be a strong recovery for tourism in Northern Ireland in 2002".
The North could look forward to reaping the rewards of Tourism Ireland, the body set up to sell the whole country as a holiday destination, he said.
PA