AQW 5540/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 07/07/2020
Answered On Date: 27/07/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) to provide a copy of the Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland; (ii) what strategy there is to develop the tourism potential of the Ards Peninsula; and (iii) if there is none, why has this area been excluded.

Answer:

Prior to the onset of Covid-19, officials from the Department for the Economy had been working closely with Tourism NI to bring forward a draft Northern Ireland Tourism Strategy to 2030; one which would set out the principles, vision and key aims necessary to continue to position Northern Ireland as an internationally competitive tourism destination.

The intention had been to bring the draft forward for public consultation later in 2020 (subject to the Executive’s approval). However, COVID-19 delivered an immediate and full stop to international tourism right across the world with Northern Ireland being no exception.

Consequently, it became necessary to redirect our efforts into working with our tourism industry to support businesses through these past difficult months and to take the necessary actions to restart our tourism Sector. You will be aware of the mitigations implemented at a national and local level (e.g. grant schemes, business rates relief, loan schemes etc.) which have played an important part in helping to sustain many tourism and hospitality businesses through the recent difficult months.

In addition, the decisive action taken by the NI Executive to accelerate the timeframe for re-opening the industry has played a key role in enabling businesses to begin to generate the revenue needed to retain jobs across Northern Ireland.

Re-opening is a significant step forward but I am acutely aware that the road ahead will remain very challenging, and that planning to support rebuilding and enable renewed growth of the Sector in the longer term will be of singular importance.

You will be aware that I established and Chair a Tourism Recovery Steering Group, supported by a Tourism NI led Working Group, to lead on the planning and preparation for the recovery of the industry. The work being facilitated by these Groups will enable us to step through the process from restarting and rebuilding our Tourism Sector to planning strategically for the renewal and regrowth of the Sector in the longer term.

Work to develop a Tourism Strategy will progress in this context. The operational environment in which Tourism now exists, locally, regionally and internationally has altered radically. The world’s current circumstances are uncertain, complex and ambiguous and thereby severely impact the effectiveness of conventional planning and management processes.

Consequently our approach to the development of a strategy will require new

and innovative ways of thinking but I remain confident that we can return Northern Ireland to its rightful place as an internationally competitive visitor destination.

The strategy will be a strategy for all of Northern Ireland, including the Ards Peninsula.

You may also wish to note that my officials and Tourism NI are currently involved in advising and supporting Councils to bring forward proposals for tourism projects in the various Council areas that comprise the Belfast Regional City Deal (BRCD) Area. This includes the Ards & North Down Council area; my officials are continuing to work closely with the Council, both on a one-to-one level and through the BRCD’s Tourism & Regeneration Advisory Board, which is Chaired by the Chief Executive of Ards and North Down Council.