Foster Welcomes Tall Ships Tourism Legacy

These were installed by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), which sought to ensure a tourism legacy would be left in the wake of the four day international Maritime festival.

Along the walkway around the Odyssey, nine mosaics, each measuring around one metre in size, have been embedded in the ground. They tell the stories of some of Belfast's most famous ships such as SS Canbera and RMS Titanic. Plaques can also be found, which depict the local maritime heritage alongside pieces of short narrative.

Speaking at Queen's Quay, Belfast, Arlene Foster said: "The eyes of the world fell on Northern Ireland over the four days of the Tall Ships festival, allowing us to show that we are a destination that can compete with the best in the world.

"It is important now, that we continue to build on this success and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board has installed a series of mosaics and plaques on the walkways along the River Lagan, which bring the history of our seafaring heritage to life for visitors and residents alike.

"While we have waved goodbye to the Tall Ships, their legacy, which also includes the new pontoons and mooring bollards in the harbour, give Belfast a new tourism facility and provide tourists and other major events, another reason to visit our shores."

Gillian Magee, NITB, highlighted how important it was to get the visitor experience right during the Tall Ships event.

She said: "The Tall Ships Maritime Festival was a unique opportunity to create a real sense of place and share that sense of place with the many visitors who arrived in Belfast. The event also allowed us to encourage visitors to uncover some of the fascinating stories that make this such a special place, while finding out more about what Northern Ireland has to offer as a destination.

"As well as the permanent legacy that has been left behind with the plaques and mosaics, during the festival we brought our history to life through story tellers and huge 'word benches' which spelt out the names of famous Belfast ships. Our feedback shows that visitors had a truly memorable time at this event which allowed us to showcase the new and vibrant Northern Ireland visitor experience to the rest of the world."