Continuing violence frustrates tourism growth

The Minister responsible for tourism in Northern Ireland has said the potential to grow the sector is being frustrated by images beamed across the world of violence on the streets.

Addressing the Institute of Management Consultants in Ireland President’s Dinner in Dublin Castle last night Sir Reg Empey said it was imperative that Northern Ireland had stability in order to grasp the fast growing global business of tourism.

“Tourism has limitless potential, but media images of street disorder are frustrating our ambitious plans for the future,” Sir Reg Empey said.

However the creation of the cross border tourism company Tourism Ireland Ltd, Invest NI and the Executive’s priority on tourism in the Programme for Government, will facilitate a genuine acceleration in the growth in inbound tourism the minister explained.

“All of these changes provide new opportunities to develop the kind of sustainable and niche market tourism that is common in many parts of Europe, the kind that Northern Ireland might have developed, had we been spared 30 years of conflict.

“The forces necessary to deliver tourism to Northern Ireland have never been more positively aligned. The benefits that accrue can be spread geographically and can eventually be delivered through much of the year through targeting a mix of international and close-to-home short breaks markets. Successful tourism development will stimulate both urban and rural regeneration, create employment opportunities and deliver economic and social returns.”

Highlighting the mutual benefits of cross border partnership Sir Reg said: “There is much our Governments can do together to benefit tourism on both sides of the border and I look forward to working closely with your new Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport, John O’Donoghue, TD, and I wish him and all members of the Republic’s new Government well in the term of office ahead.”

(AMcE)