Titanic Belfast, the iconic six-storey building featuring nine interpretive and interactive galleries and which is the world’s largest Titanic exhibition, was cited by visitors as the ‘main or very important’ reason why they came to Belfast and Northern Ireland in a MillwardBrown survey commissioned by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. 
More than 1,200 visitors were questioned for the survey between February and August 2013 from all over the world– North America (18%), Continental Europe (8%), Britain (25%), Republic of Ireland (20%), Northern Ireland (22%) and Rest of World (7%).
An impressive 94% of visitors surveyed who hailed from the Republic of Ireland and over three-quarters of visitors from Britain and overseas had included Titanic Belfast in their planning before leaving home. The survey found that Titanic Belfast is a significant influence in encouraging visitors to stay overnight in Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Almost 70% of visitors from Britain, overseas and Republic of Ireland said Titanic Belfast, which opened in March 2012, was the highlight or an important part of their trip.
Tim Husbands, the attraction’s Chief Executive, said: “We are naturally very impressed with the feedback from visitors in this survey. When we opened in 2012 we told the world that Belfast was a tourist destination and was open for everything from entertainment to business.
“We were confident two years ago that we had launched a unique world-class visitor attraction and two years on we are thriving on the benchmark that was set for Titanic Belfast and the city.”
Alan Clarke, Chief Executive, NITB, added: “As one of Northern Ireland’s Signature Projects and as a multi-award winning visitor attraction, I have no doubt that the positive findings of this survey reflect not only Titanic Belfast’s compelling unique maritime heritage offering but also its visitor driven culture and consistent standards of excellence.”
The survey found that 99% said Titanic Belfast told the Titanic story in a ‘creative and engaging way’ while 98% said the ‘design and architecture added to the overall experience’. 94% of visitors agreed Belfast was a more attractive place since Titanic Belfast opened in March 2012, while 89% said it was a ‘world class visitor experience’.
Feedback from those surveyed confirmed that the visitor attraction is exceeding expectations for the majority of visitors and 98% would recommend a visit to Titanic Belfast to friends and family.
