With finding ways to increase tourism high on the agenda for the local authorities, all new ideas for attracting visitors are worth considering. One of the most intriguing possibilities can be seen in the rising popularity of casino slots, so could using Armagh as a theme be viable and profitable?
Navan Fort
Some of the Themes Currently Used
The idea of basing a game like this on a specific location isn’t as far-fetched as it might appear at first. London, Rome and other major cities all feature as the backdrop in certain slots. Games based on characters like Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes also tend to have an identifiable setting even if it’s not mentioned in the slot’s title.
Going further afield, exotic locations around the planet are used as the settings for some slots. The Temple Tumble game is a good example, with stone buildings and statues used to create an atmospheric setting. While the exact location isn’t clear, the use of Buddha among the paying symbols suggests an Asian theme. The slot plays in a fairly standard way, with a group of matching symbols needed for a win but the images help make it stand out.
Castles and Historic Buildings
Some of the most popular slots use landmarks like the Egyptian pyramids, the Colosseum and other famous structures. Perhaps more relevant to this topic in Armagh is the rise in popularity of slots with historic buildings at the heart of them. Vlad’s Castle, Catapult Cash and Mood of Hecate all get a lot of their atmosphere from the different buildings the themes are built on.
With a long, rich history going back to its time as the capital of Ulster, Armagh provides plenty of scope for creating a new slot. The successful Armagh City Townscape Heritage project has recently seen £2.9 million spent on restoring four of the city’s historic buildings. With two cathedrals and the public library among the cultural highlights, it’s easy to see how a game could be set here.
The Widespread Use of the Irish Theme
Ireland and Northern Ireland have inspired some of the most popular slots to date. Luck o’ the Irish and Irish Cash Chips are among the games with this vibrant theme. Given Armagh’s position as one of the important royal sites in the times of Gaelic Ireland and the fact that St Patrick is credited with building a church here, there’s a lot of scope for a game that captures some of the most interesting mythology and history.
The latest figures published online reveal that around 200,000 people make overnight trips to Armagh each year. Creating an interesting game that evokes the legends and stories collected here over the centuries could provide more reasons for a greater number of tourists to visit and explore the area.
It might not seem like the most obvious approach to boosting tourism numbers, but the growing appeal of slots could provide a light-hearted way to get more people to know about the city’s treasures and history.
