Agenda item

            The Committee was advised that Mrs. K. Sweeney, CEO of Titanic Foundation Ltd., Mr. T. Husbands, CEO of Titanic Belfast Ltd., and Mr. J. Eyre, Commercial Director of Titanic Quarter Ltd. were in attendance and they were admitted to the meeting.

            The Chief Executive of the Titanic Foundation provided the Committee with an overview of the success which Titanic Belfast had achieved since it opened in March 2012, at a cost of £76million.  She outlined to the Committee that it had exceeded its target of selling 400,000 ticket sales per year and had sold, on average, over 700,000 each year.  Members were also advised that it had exceeded its goal of receiving over 150,000 out of state visitors each year and that the ticket sales from the Republic of Ireland had exceeded this targeteach year alone.  She highlighted that 71% of tickets sold had been to visitors from outside of Northern Ireland and that, as a result, there had been a sustained uplift of 28% in the number of out of state visitors to Belfast since Titanic Belfast had opened.  The Committee was also advised that, in addition to the main galleries within Titanic Belfast, the building had also hosted a number of exhibitions, banquets and conferences and that 2.7million visitors had been through the building since it had opened.

            During discussion, a number of Members congratulated the deputation on exceeding almost all of their targets.  A Member asked the representatives from Titanic Belfast whether they felt there would be adequate scope for another major tourist attraction in Belfast.  The Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast stated that they would welcome at least one other major attraction in Belfast, particularly in the city centre, in order to encourage visitors to move around the city.

            In response to a Members question regarding marking the First World War, Mrs. Sweeney explained that, as the Titanic Quarter had played a significant role in the war, they were engaging with the National Museum of the Royal Navy with regards to commemorating the battle of Jutland but that this was in the early stages.  She also stated that they were working with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) on a programme, potentially linking it with a maritime festival.

            A Member sought clarification on whether the Council had a role in the Board of Directors for Titanic Belfast as one of the original funders.  The Chief Executive of the Titanic Foundation explained that they reported back to funders through quarterly stakeholder meetings, and that the Council’s former Director of Development had sat as a director on the board.  The Committee was advised that there were vacancies on the board and agreed that the Council should be seeking to have Members appointed to the board.

            In response to a further Member’s question, the Chief Executive of the Titanic Foundation explained the operating model for Titanic Belfast to the Committee and indicated that, since the building had opened, it had received no public subsidy.  She outlined that, in addition to being a profitable business, it also funded the charity which owned it, thereby preserving the city’s wider maritime heritage.

            During discussion, a Member questioned whether the iconic building could be illuminated at night, similar to the City Hall.  Mr. T. Husbands explained that they had investigated night-time lighting a few years prior but that the costs quoted had been extremely high.  The Chief Executive confirmed to the Members that the City Hall had received European funding for its LED floodlighting system through the ILLUMINATE pilot project, and that they might consider exploring a similar option.

            A number of Members expressed their support that Titanic Belfast would continue to engage with schools throughout the city.  In response to a Member’s question, regarding the 3,000 children who attended Irish language schools in Belfast, the representatives from Titanic Belfast outlined that they had employed an Irish speaker as a guide and also had audio guides available in Irish.  The Members also suggested that perhaps the Committee could hold a future Committee meeting in Titanic Belfast.

            The deputation left the meeting and Members noted the information which had been provided.