Cruise ship numbers 'disappointing'

Derry was the first place in Northern Ireland to welcome cruise trade

Londonderry may have led the way in attracting cruise ships to Northern Ireland, but Belfast has left the city trailing in its wake.

Derry City Council has confirmed only seven cruise ships will visit the city this year, compared to 39 in Belfast.

Clare Lundy, from Derry City Council said the city cannot accommodate the larger ships that visit Belfast as it does not have a deep water quay.

Director of City Tours, Martin McCrossan, said cruises are the kind of business Derry cannot afford to lose.

"It is so disappointing, all the cruise ships should be coming here but they don't anymore," he said.

Michael Bond, owner of Derry Crystal, said losing the cruise ship business affects lots of people in the city.

"We have a lot to offer tourists but I've noticed the difference in the amount of tourists coming into my shop and talking to me," he said.

"Footfall is very important - when more cruise ships come in, more people come in and, in turn, more money comes into the city," he added.

Ms Lundy said the council has a new strategy for attracting the cruise ship market.

"Locally we have Queens Quay and Greencastle that are suitable for cruise ships," she said.

"Rather than competing for the large ships, which we cannot facilitate in the city, we are appealing to the smaller more specialised ships and we are confident we can increase the numbers of those.

"We have pioneered bringing the cruise ships into Northern Ireland and now we have refocused on the smaller ships which can bring in steady growth."