Cultural Tourism: Promoting Diversity in the Aftermath of Conflict

For more than thirty years the words ‘Northern Ireland’ have conjured images of violence and bitter sectarian division. The political climate within Northern Ireland has now changed since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement (1998). Despite setbacks and visible uncertainties on both sides of the political divide, the peace process has persisted. Not surprisingly this is good news for Northern Ireland’s tourism industry as terrorism has been blamed as the key factor as to why Northern Ireland has not developed its full tourism potential since the 1960’s. In terms of future development it is ironic however that two organisations that were and still are an integral part of the political and cultural divide have a product with huge latent tourism potential.Although the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the Loyal Orange Order would vehemently deny the claim, their existence and activities have either directly or indirectly contributed to the ‘troubles’ and the negative media coverage that has damaged Northern Ireland’s tourism industry. However, their ethos and vision are, among other things, the propagation and promotion of their respective cultures. In recent years there has been an upsurge in culture tourism world-wide. As a result these two diametrically opposed organisations now have a unique opportunity to positively promote the image of Northern Ireland as a tourism destination.