Introduction
The city of Belfast has its fair share of world history that spans thousands of years (Phoenix 2001). Additionally, the bursting apprentice on ship building and heritage pride have placed it at the top of favorite tourists’ destination around the globe. Belfast is a true definition of old and new with a deep history and vast thirst to replicate an ultra-modern way of life for its residents and endless streams of visitors. As such, his paper will analyze its past events, facts, and figures surrounding Belfast. Additionally, it will outline strategies that will be adopted to turn around the old city to a modern world-class tourist destination. In the last section, this paper will outline market campaign strategies that will be used to market the city of Belfast to the world visitors.
Analysis
Belfast has a magnificent history marked with prolific landmarks and remarkable historic events that took place in olden days. Notably, the city has much to offer to current and future tourists in due to wide variety of attractions; this provides city marketing with a piece of content that it attractive to prospective tourists. Historic ship building and economic power before disruption by religion estrangements between the Ulster Protestants and the Irish Catholic paint a beautiful picture to tourists who would like to revisit commercial acumen of late 19th and early 20th century. Indeed, an end to this violence is marked by a 26 feet wall with fences that draws a peace line to appease the two religious communities. This too is a tourist’s attraction site in the city.
Current tourism, marketing resources and resource gaps and opportunities
However, there are gaps in the city that need to be exploited to increase numbers of tourists received annually as well as give visitors an unforgettable experience during their visits. Particularly, there is a need to increase the number of hotels and accommodation facilities for visitors since currently they have outgrown available resources. However, standards and style must be taken into consideration during expansion. Therefore, the authority should make relevant adjustment and subsidies investment inputs to facilitate exploitation of opportunities in Belfast. Still, planners need to establish a link between cultural artefacts and accommodation and service provisions to create an identity for the city that would sell across the world.
Moreover, products provided in hotels need to match other famous cities in the world to remain attractive as a tourist destination. As such, policymakers should come up with coffee shops offering different varieties of food and drinks to attract more tourists. Likewise, traditional pubs need upgrading to match standard modern pubs in other tourist cities in Europe. There are a sizable number of visitors who look for life out of crowded cities; therefore, the city should invest in event venues. Lastly, planning for good road networks that connect different locations in town and outskirts would improve the experience of visitors in the city.
Residence perception on tourism and its beneficiaries
In broad terms, the Catholics are well positioned to tap and continually enjoy political, economic and social benefits than they were previously. The experience won them favouritism in the tourism sector. Likewise, Protestant does not stand to lose from any of national aspects; in facts, there are neither figures or otherwise to indicate current situations threaten them. However, most Protestants have a preconception that Catholics benefit more. Further, surveys reports indicate that both communities, particularly those in north, have are experiencing more economic hardship than in few decades ago. This is attributable to low business growth and lack of business attractiveness in these regions.
Barriers to Belfast’s future development
There are several barriers inhibiting prosperity and development of Belfast. As such, these factors need reviewing to make sure they do not affect future development plans for in the city.
Physical
Notably, there is contested and protected space in the city, commonly referred as an interface. As such, this land cannot be used for development purpose which lowers development rate. Considering there is high demand for accommodation facilities, this could be used for development purposes had it not been contested by the two communities. Additionally, physical separation of the two communities causes insecurity, anxiety and encourages threat. People experiencing such conditions are unproductive and retrogressive since they are fixated on past experiences. It is also important to note that physical interactions between the two communities are calculated, and thus there is no exchange of ideas and opinions synonymous with cities of its caliber. Clearly, such barrier might thwart efforts to rebuild and develop this city to compete with the outside world.
Political
The political climate in Belfast is not conducive for residents, visitors and investors since there are inequalities marked by prejudice and preconception of unrest and violence. Though there are conflict resolution management mechanisms, this consumes time for development agenda and antagonism between two communities only works against attractiveness of Belfast as a tourist hub and investment destination. Indeed, riots only paint a bad international picture; particularly to a staggering economy. In fact, observers noted that its economic activities such as shop building, food processing, and retail among others had drastically faded owing to poor politicking and violence. Nevertheless, political organization, fair elections, and declining violence rates are taking a toll, which is a good start for the future of Belfast.
Perceptual
There are perceptual barriers in the city of Belfast due to the long separation of two communities. Eventually, prejudices, rejections, and differences and resolution among residents. As such, population mix is loathed and flow of ideas that constitute a development of iconic cities sunk. Indeed, this has been evident in Belfast where young boys have fought fiercely in the near past over small issues. Implied, there has been the difference between the two communities that may impede conflict resolution and coexistence. Additionally, residents hold on to building space and take the time to approve roads or common facilities for the common good of entire society. Perceptual barriers are lethal to development in a city.
Infrastructural
In regards to infrastructure, there are little directions many aspects of development in the city of Belfast seasoned with the lack of harmonious approaches to issues road construction and related sectors. This slows down efforts to come up with modern infrastructures in the city. Additionally, a vision to have a modern transport system is lacking among policy makers despite direct and indirect advantages it would have on residents. Other factors trailing infrastructure development include cost risks, unaccountability, and little cooperation among stakeholders as inadequate government appraisal processes.
Belfast’s tourist appeal
Many factors are favouring the city of Belfast as a tourist destination and it appeals to many visitors. Particularly, Belfast has a rich history and strategic location as a gate to Ireland. Additionally, it has resources and prospects that lure visitors. As such, tourist can explore art and sample heritage attractions.
Core assets
Owing to delay in approving infrastructures such as road expansion, the railway would be an ideal asset since it consumes less land and is fast to connect the city residents. Additionally, it would be a strategic way to avoid traffics and offer a new experience to the city and keep up with modern cities in the world.
Strategy for the Future of Belfast City Marketing Vision
General objectives
Some goals cover different areas that are key to development and city progress in future. They include;
Creating fast, reliable and cost-friendly access to travel information through online platforms and agencies in the city and major tourist sources across the globe
Packaging the city of Belfast and its tourist attractions to tap on large number of visitors from different media such as internet users, family members, events holders and corporation holidays planners
Instituting diversified and quality programs for the visitors to induce revisits and recommendation of Belfast as a warm destination across the world
Promote and subsidize auxiliaries and related sector to encourage wholesome growth that attracts all forms of tourism such as investment forums, conservation and climate change venues as well as fashion and art form of events
Specific objectives
Promoting environmental tourism
Reviewing infrastructure policies to promote fast development
Identify investment opportunities in the city
Promoting cultural artefacts tourism
Market positioning and brand/public identity
Belfast has already been a centre stage of a research project that led to city development and branding activities focused on regional marketing. As such, the city values and understands the importance of incorporating effective marketing strategies to map the city as an investment hub and tourists destination. Particularly, marketing will focus on incorporating values of city residents as a vibrant community that takes pride in its heritage. Consequently, visitors will have a heightened expectation of this city. The goal is to raise the city of Belfast to the standard of top twenty favorite tourist destinations in the world. Additionally, instituting new and modern systems and facilities will be instrumental in branding the city using already existing names such as Titanic Belfast. Notably, adopted branding should take a national aspect to avoid divisions that are already in existent in the city. The photo below shows the proposed brand for Belfast;
Source: Belfast 2015
Key resources, themes, and products and market segments
There are numerous resources and endowment in the city of Belfast that are quite important in establishing diverse tourism attractions. As such, plans are underway to exploit the existing resources to diversify attraction sites and optimize on income for the city. For instance, attraction activities and resources span from water, causeway, city front as well as famous Chichester festivals. Therefore, to increase the annual visitors market will be segmented to focus on the certain category of potential tourists. Indeed, development of the city will attract business tourism while word class institutions of higher learning will pull international students form of tourism. The photo below show boat rowing for youths;
Source: Belfast 2015
Organisational structure
Key Projects
Physical
Numerous physical projects have sprung up across the city as a way of taking advantage of unsatisfied demands of products and services by locals and visitors. Additionally, there are facilities and public utility structures and system to support city development. For instance, there are roads, waterfront, and city centre and attraction sites among other projects. This has given the city of Belfast as face lift, and it is a process of creating a brand.
Product Development
Here, the policy makers need involve professionals and partners with such countries as Switzerland to develop products that fit city’s landscape, climatic conditions and cultural heritage.
Responsibilities
All stakeholders in the city have a collective and individual responsibility to be good ambassadors of Belfast. For instance, residents need to stop violence and unrest to attract the sizable and continuous flow of international tourism. Additionally, policy makers should be motivated and accountable. Still, all stakeholders need to be visionary, focused and creative to attain the city objectives.
Marketing Campaign Product and related segment
Marketing communications
For marketing communication to be complete, intended message must get to the targeted markets. Upon receiving information, consumers should process and give their responses and feedback on various products and destinations. Ultimately, policymakers should review products and procedures based on feedback collected. As such, the city of Belfast needs to use communication channels that are effective, convenient and arousing feedback from targeted consumers. The discussion below gives some of the marketing communication techniques that can yield desired results. For instance, marketers can use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter among others to share photos of attractive tourist destinations (Zarrella 2010). This has many advantages since the social media users can share information with their friends and recommend the page to family and public. Eventually, it creates awareness on the beautiful city of Belfast and its attraction sites. Additionally, tourists should be encouraged to post their photos rowing boats and enjoying traditional dishes. Moreover, some magazines rank cities across the world regarding their attractiveness and costs of living. As such, Belfast needs to take its branding to a world stage to learn and win visitors. Here, investors will learn about the opportunities. Lastly, the city of Belfast will run a website and web pages to increase its presence on the internet. This will be important in communicating history, facts, figures and upcoming events in the city.
Marketing partners and responsibilities
There are numerous marketing partners and international companies dealing in the marketing of tourism destinations. As such, marketing committee will involve international media companies such as CNN that will be entrusted with brand marketing and highlighting investment opportunities in the city of Belfast. On the other hand, social media platforms such as Facebook will cover experiences, products as well events. Additionally, marketing committee will hire advertisement and marketing designers to make sure the content is appropriate and instils consumer perception (White 2015). Relationship to above strategy
Hiring professionals is the primary step in creating desired results in marketing; therefore, marketing strategy will tap on best talents in the marketing industry. Consequently, partners and marketers will match city appeal with market needs to create a sensation of Belfast culture heritage, diversified form of tourism as well as building brand
References
Phoenix, E. (2001). Two acres of Irish' history: a study through the time of Friar's Bush and Belfast 1570-1918. Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation.
White, A. (2015). Advertising design and typography.
Zarrella, D. (2010). The social media marketing book. Beijing, O'Reilly.
