World journalists visit Game of Thrones country
Charlotte Lyon, from the Radio Times (right), at the Dark Hedges, near Ballymoney, with other journalists from around the world. The Dark Hedges lined the route used by the character, Arya Stark as she made her escape from King’s Landing in season one, dressed as a boy.
Almost 20 journalists from around the world visited Northern Ireland recently to explore some of the locations used in filming the hit HBO TV series, Games of Thrones.
Tourism Ireland timed the visit to coincide with the return of the long-awaited fourth season of Game of Thrones.
Journalists from GB, the US, France, Germany, the Nordics, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, China and Brazil were on the trip which was designed to whet the appetites of fans and encouraged them toindulge their fascination for the series and come here to explore the landscapes and locations which feature in the various scenes.
The group’s itinerary – designed by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board – took them on a tour which included stops at the Dark Hedges near Ballymoney, Cushendun, Cairncastle, Glenarm and Ballintoy. Before heading along the Causeway Coastal Route, the writers spent time in Belfast, where they visited the SS Nomadic, toured Titanic Belfast and enjoyed the tastes and smells of St George’s Market. The final day saw the group visit Tollymore Forest Park, Inch Abbey and Castle Ward in Co Down.
Tourism Ireland also recently launched an advertising and social media campaign, in conjunction with Game of Thrones creators, HBO, to promote Northern Ireland for holidays across the world. The campaign is being rolled out by Tourism Ireland until mid-June through ads on Facebook and Twitter, to leverage the huge global popularity of Game of Thrones and its strong associations with Northern Ireland – the physical and spiritual home of the series, where much of the filming takes place.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “TV and film are recognised as strong influencers on prospective visitors, so media visits like these are another great opportunity to shine a spotlight on Northern Ireland. Game of Thrones fans worldwide will see the articles these journalists write and publish, spiking their curiosity about the landscapes and locations featured in the series and inspiring them to come and explore them for themselves.”
