General Tourist Information

Tourism Information sources and web links

For those able to come early or stay on after the Conference, the island of Ireland offers a wealth of countryside, culture, history and sport to satisfy all tastes. For further information contact the following Tourism organizations by phone, fax or e-mail - or look at their websites:

Belfast Welcome Centre - for individual visitors on arrival:
35 Donegall Place, BT1 5AD.
Tel: +44 (0)28 9024 6609
Fax: +44 28 9031 2424
Email: belfastwelcomecentre@nitic.net
Website: www.gotobelfast.com

Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau:
Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 9026
Fax: +44 28 9024 9026
Email:info@belfastvisitor.com
Website: www.gotobelfast.com

Northern Ireland Tourist Board:
Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 1221
Fax: +44 28 9024 0960
Email: info@nitb.com
Website www.discovernorthernireland.com

Irish Tourist Board:
Tel: +353 1602 4000
Fax: +353 1602 4100
Email: user@irishtouristboard.ie
Website www.ireland.travel.ie

International Freephone Numbers:
- for expert advice and where to go and where to stay

00800 668 668 66 (from Ireland, UK & Europe)
011 800 668 668 66 (from USA & Canada)
+353 66 979 2084 (from all other countries)

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Offices Overseas:
NITB has offices in Dublin, Frankfurt, Glasgow, London, New York, Paris and Toronto, For current contact details click on www.discovernorthernireland.com

The Island of Ireland - Travel and Tourist information www.tourismireland.com

Irish Government Dept.of Foreign Affairs - Traveling to Ireland: www.irlgov.ie/iveagh/services/toireland
With links to information on travel for business, for study, for tourism or to work and live in Ireland.

For information on Golfing in Ireland log onto : www.tourismireland.ie and www.golf.travel.ie.


Northern Ireland Arts & Entertainment
To find out what's on in all of Ireland Tel: +44 28 9038 5200 or click on: www.art.co.ni or www.art.ie

UK & Ireland Visas & Invitations
UK nationals are not required to carry a passport but some form of identification is advised. All other nationals must carry a valid passport or national identity card as appropriate. Citizens living within Europe and most other western countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa do not require visas to enter the UK or Ireland.

Current UK Entry Visa requirements can be found on the following web-site: www.ukvisas.gov.uk For UK enquiries telephone: 020 7008 8438. Alternatively contact the British Embassy or Consulate in your country.

Delegates planning to enter the Republic of Ireland should also check on:- www.irlgov.ie/iveagh/services/visas/.

UK & Ireland Customs Regulations

For restrictions on importing goods into the UK, the Customs & Excise provide a helpful guide for travellers entering the UK from within the EU or from outside the EU. See: www.hmce.gov.uk

Delegates entering the UK via London, Manchester or other regional airports will need to clear UK Customs before taking their connecting flight to Belfast. There are currently no Customs formalities at the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as both are part of the EU.

Currency

The UK and Northern Ireland use the Pound Sterling (£) divided into 100 pence. Travellers cheques can be exchanged for cash in banks, hotels and exchange bureaux.
On the 1st of January 2002, The Republic of Ireland adopted the Euro (€) divided into 100 cents. The same currency is used in 11 other EU countries.

The exchange rate as of 26 March 2003 was £1 = €1.47709, or €1 = £0.677004.

Credit Cards
Visa, Mastercard, Eurocard, American Express and other major credit cards are widely accepted in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. Cash Points (ATMs) are widely available outside the banks and in larger shopping centres.

Banking Hours
Hours are generally Mon-Fri, 9.30am - 4.30pm with some banks opening Saturday mornings. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) dispense cash at hundreds of locations - banks, garages, and shopping centres..
Bureaux de Change are in larger bank branches, travel agencies, the Belfast Welcome Centre, some other Tourist Information Centres, big hotels and a few visitor attractions.

Shopping
Shops are generally open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm with late night shopping until 9pm at many of the larger stores Wednesday to Friday. In the city centre, Thursday is the designed late night shopping day, with most shops open until 9 pm. On Sunday many supermarkets and some of the larger stores will be open from noon or 1 o'clock until 5.00 or 6.00pm. Many towns have market days once a week, a visit to St George's market (Belfast) on a Thursday evening or Friday is worthwhile.

Useful websites
www.ulstershopper.co.uk
www.fermanaghcraft.com
www.irishsouvenirs.com
www.thelinengreen.com

Postal Services:
Post Offices and red post boxes are located all over the city. The Main Post Office is at Castle Junction in the city centre.

Pub Hours :
Pubs are generally open 11.30am-11pm Monday to Saturday and on Sundays 12.30-10pm. Many bars in Belfast have later opening hours on Thursday - Saturday nights, and night clubs open most nights of the week. Children are not permitted on licensed premises. No alcohol may be served to under 18s.

Medical Insurance
Delegates from the EU to Northern Ireland should obtain an E111 form from a Post Office prior to departure. Delegates from non-EU countries are advised to take out medical insurance before leaving home. In an emergency, your Hotel Reception will be able to call for medical assistance or telephone 999 if the situation is life-threatening.

Smoking:
No smoking applies on public transport or in most public buildings. More and more restaurants have a no-smoking policy; most have a smoke free area.

Taxis:
'Value Cabs' collect at airports and will also collect and drop to order, operating 24 hours. Tel: +44 (0)9080 9080

Phone Numbers:
The Northern Ireland Dialling Code (028) - or + 44(0)28 if calling from abroad - is used as a prefix when dialling from outside the region, or when making internal calls using a mobile phone. All Belfast numbers are composed of (028) followed by 90 and six digits. Eg. Belfast Welcome Centre: (0)28 9024 6609

Weather
Ireland has a mild temperate climate that is relatively humid. In October, temperatures are on average 8-12 degrees Celsius. Rain showers can be frequent at this time of year.

Weights and Measures
The Metric system has been adopted in Ireland but is not always enforced, for example, distances are measured in both miles and kilometres, drinks in pubs come in pints and petrol comes in litres while food is sold both in pounds and kilograms.