The Causeway is the province's only World Heritage Site

The government has launched what it called a masterplan for the area of the Causeway coast on Wednesday.

It hopes it will help to turn it into an attraction to match the Ring of Kerry in the Republic of Ireland.

The government has pinpointed a number of potentially big attractions.

As a first step towards improving the infrastructure, it has earmarked �5.5m for immediate improvements - with a total of almost �50m to be spent over the next ten years.

This plan will spread tourism right through the region, rather than just the honeypot of the Giant's Causeway Don Wilmont Tourism manager

The Giant's Causeway on the north Antrim coast is Northern Ireland's only World Heritage Site.

The causeway is one of Northern Ireland's top tourist attractions.

Don Wilmont, manager of the Causeway Coast and Glens Regional Tourism organisation, said the initiative would benefit the wider area.

"This plan will spread tourism right through the region, rather than just the honeypot of the Giant's Causeway," he said.

"It's a range of developments to spread business, and to lengthen the stay of visitors to the area."

According to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, nearly two million tourists visited the province during 2003, an increase of 11% on the previous year.