'˜Write' start for London Stansted to City of Derry service

Ciaran Doherty, Tourism Ireland (back row, fourth right); Ian Woodley, BMI Regional (back row fourth left); Roy Devine, City of Derry Airport (back row third left) and Odhran Dunne, Visit Derry (back row second left), with GB journalists who arrived at the City of Derry airport on the inaugural BMI Regional London Stansted flight. Pic by Stephen Latimer

The journalists – representing UK media outlets with a combined circulation of more than nine million readers – are here as guests of Tourism Ireland, Tourism NI and Visit Derry.

The aim of the visit is to highlight to their readers the ease of access from London to Londonderry, as well as the many things to see and do on a holiday or short break here.

Julie Wakely, Tourism Ireland’s deputy head of Britain, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite these leading GB journalists to Londonderry, to experience for themselves some of the many interesting things to see and do here.

“Visits like this are an invaluable part of our overall promotional programme, helping us to get positive exposure for Northern Ireland through the media in GB.”

The new flight will help boost tourism from the all-important GB market, offering more choice to prospective visitors travelling from London.

Julie Wakely continued: “The introduction of this new BMI Regional flight is wonderful news for tourism to Northern Ireland, and the North West in particular, and will certainly expand travel options for people living in and around London Stansted wishing to visit in 2017.”

The journalists’ itinerary included a walking tour of the city, as well as visits to the Tower Museum, the Guildhall, the Walled City Brewery, the Museum of Free Derry and the Siege Museum. They also visited the Seamus Heaney HomePlace and Mussenden Temple.