The North has gone for an Indian

Belfast is all set to be beamed into homes across India In an effort to cajole people to pick Northern Ireland as a gourmet holiday destination.

In an effort to bring visitors to the North from Asia and the Indian subcontinent, Tourism Ireland arranged for an award winning Indian Travel and food show to include Belfast in an episode of their show. The episode will air in India later in the year.

'Will Travel for Food' is a popular, award winning show on India's NDTV channel.  Each episode of the show focuses on a different world city and pays special attention to that area's local foods and the diversity of places to eat. 

The TV crew recorded the footage in the North earlier this week.

The show will introduce Indian viewers to Belfast and its latest iconic landmark, the new Titanic Museum, before taking them on a gastro tour of the City. 

Presenter Aneesha Baig will take the audience on a journey to discover some of the gourmet and quirky delights of Belfast, including Café Conor, a modern bistro café near the Ulster Museum and Long's Fish & Chip Shop (the oldest chippy in town). 

Aneesha was also filmed enjoying dinner on board the Belfast Barge, listening to stories of the city’s colourful maritime and industrial past. 

The film crew then travelled through the Co Down countryside to Glassdrumman Lodge near Annalong. There they met chef Jonny Hall who showed Indian viewers how to make Irish bread. 

Huzan Fraser of Tourism Ireland India, said they were delighted that NDTV had chosen to film in Northern Ireland. 

" It's a wonderful opportunity to showcase some of the many things to do and see in Northern Ireland, and to highlight the array of fine food available, to an audience of over two million people – or prospective holiday makers from India," she said.

" The publicity value of a TV programme like this is incalculable," added Fraser.  

Tourism Ireland works closely with both Fáilte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB). 

The full itinerary for the Indian TV crew was designed by NITB.

---