Published Tuesday, 17 January 2012
That's the message from a range of tourism industry stakeholders as the countdown continues to the centenary celebrations in the spring.
A popular American travel guide book has chosen Belfast as one of its key destinations for the year ahead.
Fodor's Ireland has devoted an unprecedented eight page spread to the Titanic commemorations, describing them as the world's biggest tourism story this year.
Paul Clements of Fodor's Ireland said: "We have chosen Belfast as one of the top 21 destinations worldwide to visit this year. That is a hugely influential thing for Fodor's to come up with.
"It's been chosen for being a noteworthy destination because Titanic will be in the news so much this year because of the events surrounding the commemorations and the one hundredth anniversary," he said.
Already 40,000 tickets have been sold worldwide for the new visitor centre, Titanic Belfast.
Tim Husbands, the Chief Executive of the visitor centre, said: "There is a real sense of anticipation among the public and in the wider international market.
"We have 74 days left to go and we are counting them day by day.
"We have been marketing this product for 12 months and the recall we are getting from India, Australia, America, China and Japan is good. There is significant anticipation for the project," he said.
Siobhan McCauley of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board said that the year ahead is not just about Titanic celebrations.
She said: "We have got the Irish Open coming, the Giant's Causeway facility opening, the MAC opening and the clipper worldwide race coming to Derry, in addition to the Titanic festival.
"This is a massive year for Northern Ireland, one of the biggest we have ever experienced. That will increase awareness and bring more people here to spend," she said.
Tourism Minister Arlene Foster stressed the importance of local people not letting the opportunity slip away.
She said: "I think the world is wanting to come to Northern Ireland.
"What I am saying is that Northern Ireland and its media need to realise the opportunity that it has been given here and not just to pass it aside as something that will not happen.
"The world knows about Titanic and we really need to bring it home to Belfast and for that to happen everybody in Northern Ireland needs to play their part no matter where they live because it will have an impact on everyone," she said.