Areas of the US where people have strong family ties with Northern Ireland are to be targeted next year in an attempt to boost its tourism figures.
Tourism Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board said their 2005 marketing plans were geared to underpin and increase the record number of visitors to the North in the past three years.
Visitor numbers are expected to top two million for the first time this year.
While a target of increasing all-island visitor numbers has been set at 5%, the target for Northern Ireland has been fixed at an ambitious 7%.
Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Paul O'Toole, said improved access through a host of new air links to the North will help to drive tourism growth.
He revealed Tourism Ireland had allocated an additional budget of almost £350,000 for specifically promoting Northern Ireland.
A new direct link between New York and Belfast will take to the air next year, along with links announced yesterday between Boston and Shannon and Chicago and Dublin.
