The Titanic Belfast visitor attraction has welcomed its three millionth visitor since opening in 2012 and has reported a record-breaking August so far, including its busiest day to date.
Kathy Jefferson from Telford in England, who was customer number three million, was in Belfast for the first time with her family when she booked tickets. They were greeted with a VIP reception hosted by Belfast’s Lord Mayor Brian Kingston.
Tim Husbands, chief executive of Titanic Belfast, said that in the last four years, visitors had come from more than 145 countries.
“It seems like only yesterday that Titanic Belfast opened and helped turn the city of Belfast into a major player in the global tourism market,” Mr Husbands said. “We are pleased that it has continued to have a significant positive impact on the city. Since opening there has been a sustained uplift in out-of-state visitors to Belfast.”
Mr Kingston said: "Titanic certainly put Belfast on the map and in the minds of the world, and the Titanic Experience, and the Titanic quarter generally, has proved an outstanding success in attracting visitors to our shores."
In its first three years, it generated £105 million (€120 million) in additional tourism spend for the Northern Ireland economy, sustaining about 893 jobs each year in the wider economy.