Hillsborough Castle is all set to attract 200,000 tourists

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Recently, the ‘newest’ tourist attractions of Northern Ireland turned 250-years-old.

 
However, for Hillsborough Castle, life will kick start on July 1, when the Queen’s official residence opens as a year-round visitor destination.

 
To get organized for a targeted 200,000 paying customers a year, it is getting a £20m makeover.

 
Chinese and the United States tourists are among those already booked on tours.

 
To quote Patricia Corbett, head of Hillsborough Castle, “This is a huge opportunity to open this asset to the people of Northern Ireland – to give it back if you like.”

 
Before, the castle had limited public openings, comprising royal garden parties, before being taken over in 2014 by Historic Royal Palaces.

 
The charity is working on renovation, with part of the money coming from lottery funds.

 
At present, renovation effort is targeted on the castle, a Georgian mansion dating to the 1770s, which organized President George W. Bush on a trip to Northern Ireland in 2003.

 
Another part of the project involves restoring a four-acre walled garden.

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