World class-golf courses 'boosting tourism in Northern Ireland'

9 July 2009 -

The development of world-class golf courses in Northern Ireland is improving the country's tourism industry, according to the government.

As tourism minister Arlene Foster welcomed Leigh J Pope, the first overseas golfer to play the newly-opened Faldo Course at the prestigious five-star Lough Erne Golf Resort, she predicted that he would be impressed by the challenge.

She added: "The development of world-class golf resorts, such as Lough Erne, have the potential to make significant contributions to our tourism offering and, therefore, the wider economy."

The minister went on to say many overseas visitors are already attracted to the world-renowned courses in Northern Ireland such as Royal Portrush and Royal County Down, but the emergence of new developments like Lough Erneadds a new dimension to the country's tourism product offering.

Last month, Belfast Telegraph reporter Ed Curran compared the new Lough Erne Golf Resort to the very best that California or the Caribbean have to offer.