John McGrillen was appointed CEO of Tourism NI in 2015. Tourism NI is a non-departmental public body of the Department for the Economy and works closely with tourism bodies to promote and aid tourist organisations in Northern Ireland. A former board member of Tourism NI, John was previously director of development at Belfast City Council, where his responsibilities included urban development, tourism, economic and international development and the management of Belfast Waterfront and the Ulster Hall. He has also served as chief executive of Down District Council. McGrillen’s early career saw him work for Short Brothers and the Industrial Development Board (the forerunner to Invest NI), as well as CEO of NI-CO, a Belfast based international development consTourism NI is responsible for the development of tourism in Northern Ireland, supporting the tourism industry and for marketing Northern Ireland as a tourist destination.
