Minutes:
The Committee considered the undernoted report:
“1 Relevant Background Information
1.1 Members will be aware that at a Development Committee meeting held on 10 June 2009, approval was given to develop Literary Tourism in Belfast. The Cultural Tourism Strategy ‘Developing Belfast’s Opportunity’ detailed the aim to support and develop new cultural tourism product development and to make specific areas of culture and heritage more accessible to visitors. In Belfast City Council’s new strategy, Belfast Tourism Gateway to the Future, Literary Tourism has been identified as a priority area in order to develop the Belfast Experience.
1.2 It was recognised that there is substantial potential for the development of Literary Tourism in Belfast. The UK currently features number one in a list of the top ten literary destinations of the world compiled by TripAdvisor and literary tourism contributes up to £2.6 billion a year to the British economy. In July 2010, Dublin was designated as a UNESCO City of Literature and have put in place a range of products to capitalise on Literary Tourism. Belfast now attracts global literary renown and over the past decades, this has been our foremost imaginative export. Belfast’s literary heritage has a role to play in ‘place-making’ and is an important dimension in the marketing of Belfast as an international destination. Belfast’s own literary reputation plays a part in this global success story and there are many benefits from enhancing our literary offer.
1.3 Following recommendations at a meeting of the Development Committee held on 16 September 2009, an advisory group was established to oversee content development for a Literary Tourism Programme. At a further meeting held on 9 December 2009 members agreed that Literary Tourism should be submitted to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s Tourism Innovation Fund which aimed to enhance the growth, quality, competitiveness and sustainability of tourism by stimulating product development and improving the visitor experience. The application resulted in a contribution of £118,500 from NITB towards Belfast’s Literary Tourism and plans were also significantly enhanced through new partnerships established with Queen’s University, BBC, Arts Council NI and Tourism Ireland. Based on leading Case Studies from the UK’s Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change such as ‘Developing the Potential of Literary Tourism’ and Dublin’s Literary Tourism initiatives, this aims of the new products and initiatives were to:
- create distinction for Belfast in a competitive marketplace
- appeal to special interest and niche tourism markets and attract domestic and out-of-state tourists
- enhance the visitor experience
- improve the weekend economy and increase overnight stays
- use innovative technology to improve access to and dissemination of visitor information
- encourage the economic benefits of tourism
1.4 An update on product development and content was provided to the Development Committee Update in August 2010.
2 Key Issues
2.1 Belfast City Council’s Literary Tourism Plan is now in place and the following new products have been completed and will be seen for the first time at the Belfast Book Festival on 13 June 2011.
2.2 1. Belfast Through Writers’ Eyes
Partners: Queen’s University, Arts Council NI
Short films enable visitors to journey with 16 of Belfast’s internationally award winning poets and writers who have each chosen their favourite locations, discussed how Belfast has influenced their work and read a piece of their work related to Belfast. It is available on multi-media platforms including an iPhone app walking tour. Also included is a section for News/Events keeping visitors up to date with a multitude of readings and festivals.
2.3 2. Promotion of Literary Events and Establishing Networks
Using the success of models such as Late Night Art and Music Tourism to work in partnership with all current providers to develop and promote literary tourism, including the Belfast Book Festival, Linen Hall Library, Central Library, Queen’s University, Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, Belfast Festival at Queen’s, Féile Festival, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, CS Lewis and literary societies, Belmont Tower, publishers, booksellers and not for profit literary event providers in Belfast. Working in partnership will increase the profile and impact of our literary product to domestic and out-of-state visitors.
2.4 3. Empty Buildings Quotations
Partners: Arts and Business and BelfastCity Centre Management
Empty shops profiling literary quotes from Belfast’s internationally recognised and award winning writers.
2.5 4. The Belfast Poets and Writers Exhibition
and BBC Literary Archive
Partners: BBC, Queen’s University Venue: Belfast City Hall
A Hall of Fame of our most internationally renowned writers, past and present and key literary facts about Belfast. The exhibition is accompanied by a listening kiosk which captures the creative genius of local writers and the extraordinary stories of everyday life. Visitors can listen to readings from a selection of writers including Louis MacNeice, John Hewitt, Stewart Parker, CS Lewis, Marie Jones, Glenn Patterson, Michael Longley and Seamus Heaney.
2.6 5. LiteraryBelfast.org
Partners: Culture NI, Arts Council NI
An immersive and interactive online exhibition of Belfast’s Literary heritage. Each genre includes introductions, venues, festivals, hall of fame and fully searchable events listings for all Belfast literature genres (CNI is Arts Council NI’s strategic online vehicle to promote culture and the only online events listings service in Northern Ireland). This site forms the source of all mobile application development. Along their journey visitors can step into interactive audio visual spaces, witness fascinating one-off interviews with our largest literary names.
2.7 6. The Belfast Book Festival - June 2011
Partners: Arts Council NI, Crescent Arts Centre
The Belfast Book Festival aims to be a unique, individual and compelling experience for visitors and to promote our modern culture, characters and writers, poets and playwrights on the world stage. It concentrates on the promotion of our indigenous writers to show our rich literary heritage, thriving contemporary literary scene and promote and highlight our distinctiveness.
2.8 7. Development of Literary Tours and Trails
CS Lewis Coach Tour
Literary Belfast Walking Tour
Nearly True Children’s Literary Walking Tours
2.9 On 6 September 2011, Belfast City Council will partner with NITB, Arts Council NI, Queen’s University, BBC and Tourism Ireland to stage an event in the Ulster Hall with Belfast’s internationally award winning poets and writers who have contributed to the project (in kind) to raise awareness of the literary tourism product internationally. It is an opportunity to showcase products to the GB, ROI and European Markets and to recognise the contribution Belfast’s writers have made to the initiative. There will be an opportunity for the public to attend and we would be keen for Belfast City Council to maximise this platform and to have a key role in order to acknowledge the contribution these writers have made to the city. Tourism Ireland will promote Belfast’s literature and new products internally by organising a series of media trips familiarisation trips, and externally to raise the profile of Belfast and its writing scene internationally and increase tourism revenue from this market.
2.10 ‘Ireland has given the world great plays prose and poetry and for millions around the world our literary heritage is their first connection with the character and characters of Ireland. We love a good story well told and the promotion of literary tourism will engender greater appreciation of Belfast’s impressive literary CV.’ Tourism Ireland
2.11 NITB is committed to developing the literature offering and tourism access to literature – including festivals, events and additional literature products. To this end, NITB are working in partnership on the Literary Belfast September event and will seek to maximize the tourism opportunities and to work with the industry to ensure they are visitor ready. Literary Belfast is in line with the NITB brand in delivering an event that is ‘uniquely NI’ and promotes the best of indigenous writing. Literary Belfast will add to NI’s burgeoning international reputation as a place to discover great literature and has the potential to provide legacy to the exciting festivals that NI and Belfast will be hosting in 2011 through 2013.
2.12 ‘Literary tourism is an excellent addition to the list of tourism products in Northern Ireland and will give visitors a chance to explore our rich literary heritage and experience our thriving contemporary scene. This initiative adds momentum to the good work that has already been done to highlight Northern Ireland’s strong connection with CS Lewis. At a time when visitor numbers continue to grow it is important that we continue to develop authentic experiences such as this, to add depth to Northern Ireland’s reputation as a must-see destination.’ Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
3 Resource Implications
3.1 Financial
Belfast City Council’s contribution of £39,500 has been accounted for under the approved Tourism, Culture and Arts 2010-11 Literary Tourism budget.
5 Recommendations
5.1 It is recommended that Members;
1. Note the contents of this report
2. Approve participation of the Chair of the Development Committee or nominee to take part in the Literary Tourism event on 6 September 2011 and to approve attendance of all Members of Development Committee at the event.”
The Committee noted the contents of the report and adopted the recommendations.