Tourism Minister Arlene Foster promoted Northern Ireland as a distinctive cultural experience for American visitors, in San Francisco..

Pictured with Tourism Minister Arlene Foster are Tour Operator, Joe Dugan, Alliance Travel, San Francisco and Journalist, Joel Riddel, KGO Newstalk 810 San Francisco.

The Minister was speaking at a Tourism Ireland event in the USA this week, to an audience of key travel trade and media contacts, as part of a four-day visit to encourage investment and promote Northern Ireland tourism.

Addressing tourism industry representatives at the event, Arlene Foster said: “The US is a very important tourism market for Northern Ireland. It is an ideal destination for American holidaymakers as it offers people a wealth of undiscovered places, breathtaking scenery, unique attractions and great value for money. I want to encourage Americans to visit somewhere that is new to them and rediscover their ancestral heritage.

“Tourism Ireland is working closely with its industry partners, at home and here in the US, to deliver growth in visitors this year. A comprehensive promotional programme is in place in the US for 2010, with a range of extensive campaigns providing compelling reasons to visit Northern Ireland.

“2012 will be a landmark year for Northern Ireland, when a number of new tourism attractions will open, showcasing Northern Ireland to the rest of the world. Projects such as the Titanic Signature Project and the Causeway Coast and Glens Signature Project are an exciting opportunity to create state-of-the-art facilities and provide a world-class tourism offering.”

Highlighting the importance of business tourism, Arlene Foster said: “The importance of business tourism cannot be overestimated. It is a high yield sector and Tourism Ireland is working hard to promote Northern Ireland as a premier business tourism destination. The superb meetings and incentive facilities on offer, coupled with the distinctive cultural experience, mean Northern Ireland is now an even more viable and attractive destination for the US business tourism market than ever before.”