Titanic Belfast CEO, Tim Husbands MBE

Robert Ballard for Titanic Belfast talk

Titanic Belfast will begin its second year of operation with an investment period to further enhance its award-winning visitor, education and conference and banqueting portfolio.

Belfast’s only accredited five-star visitor attraction will start refreshment plans with a new gallery addition to be launched in March, while a number of other popular galleries in the Titanic Belfast experience will be developed.

Next month promises to be an exciting time for both corporate and consumer markets, with additional highlights including a new Discovery Tour – a walking-tour insight into the building’s concept and design that also sees the historic Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices re-open to Discovery Tour guests.

The attraction will also welcome the return of Ocean Explorer Dr Robert Ballard, the man who discovered the wreck of RMS Titanic in 1985, on March 20. He will host a public lecture, and ‘An Evening with Dr Ballard,’ an exclusive conversational event boasting with it a White Star Line theatrical 5-star dining experience in the building’s breath-taking Titanic Suite.

In addition, while preparing to host the much-anticipated Giro d’Italia 2014 start in May, Titanic Belfast will be extending its temporary exhibition portfolio this year on the back of the popular Games of Thrones exhibit in 2013, which was viewed by more than 12,000 fans of the HBO series.

Having welcomed more than 1.5million visitors since opening in March 2012, Titanic Belfast Chief Executive Tim Husbands MBE, is naturally excited about the months ahead.

He said: “Titanic Belfast is a world-class visitor attraction and conference and banqueting destination and it is a welcome challenge to maintain and improve upon the highest standards of business and consumer needs.

“We are looking forward to marking Titanic Belfast’s second year in operation and beginning this new period of investment with the return of Dr. Robert Ballard for an exclusive motivational event which will be an excellent experience and opportunity for businesses.

Dr Ballard said: “I’m excited about returning to Titanic Belfast and to the birthplace of the great liner in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I am looking forward to taking part in lectures and events on this occasion, and to seeing how this wonderful tribute to Titanic has developed.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “Titanic Belfast is now an extremely important part of the tourism offering in Northern Ireland, helping to give us significant ‘stand-out’ in the very competitive international marketplace.”

For details on the Dr Robert Ballard public lecture at Titanic Belfast on March 20, 2014, visit: www.titanicbelfast.com