Northern Ireland’s largest taxi company, Value Cabs, has renewed its strategic partnership with Visit Belfast with a 3-year partnership agreement aimed at driving tourism growth across the city to 2018.
Often the first point of contact for thousands of visitors to Belfast, Value Cabs has been a strategic partner of Visit Belfast since 2006, supporting tourism marketing, conference sales and visitor servicing activity.
Value Cabs has more than 650 vehicles in its growing fleet and provides taxi, tour and chauffeur services for business, leisure and cruise visitors staying in Belfast and wishing to see the wider region.
Stephen McCausland of Value Cabs, said:
“Visitor numbers to the city have grown significantly over the last decade, and so too has the demand for taxi services which connects the many attractions and venues across Belfast.
“Value Cabs has maintained its position as market leader through sustained investment in ways that help new and existing customers get around the city, most recently launching the latest version of our premium taxi booking app. The app enables customers to instantly receive a quote, book and track a taxi with ease – and even view its location and estimated time of arrival.
“As an expanding business we believe Belfast can realise its full tourism potential. We see true value in supporting the successful marketing and sales efforts of Visit Belfast and the wider tourism and hospitality industry and look forward to continuing this strategic partnership and playing our part in driving further tourism growth over the next three years.”
Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive, Visit Belfast, said:
“Strong partnerships and collaboration have been the cornerstones to the city’s recent tourism successes and I’m delighted that Value Cabs are continuing its commitment to tourism through this strategic partnership agreement.
“For many, Value Cabs, with over 650 drivers, are the first point of contact as they transfer visitors to our hotels, conference centres, visitor attractions and hospitality venues. The professional service that their drivers provide mean they act as true ambassadors for the city.
“The visitor experience is critical to sustainable tourism and achieving the city’s ambitions of doubling tourism revenue by 2020 – Belfast’s taxi drivers play an important role in delivering not only a warm welcome but up-to-the-minute information, anecdotes and helpful suggestions – all of which encourage visitors to see more and do more during their stay.”
Visit Belfast, which promotes Belfast as a business, leisure and tourism destination to domestic and international markets, enjoyed a successful 2014, rolling out a range of marketing campaigns in the UK and Republic of Ireland, handling 550,000 tourist enquiries, welcoming a record 63 cruise ships with its Cruise Belfast partner Belfast Harbour, and securing more than £40 million in conferences and events.
Now the tourism agency hopes to increase the number of leisure and business overnight stays it generates from 290,000 to 690,000 within three years, driven by campaigns that will target younger and more international travellers as well as “culturally curious” visitors.
By 2018, Visit Belfast said its wider remit as a destination marketing and management organisation will focus on driving growth in leisure, business and cruise visitors, handling two million enquiries over a three-year period.
In meeting all the challenging targets set, it will secure a record return of £370 million to the local economy.