AQW 7580/22-27

Mr Gary Middleton
Democratic Unionist Party
Foyle

Tabled Date: 27/02/2024
Answered On Date: 09/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy what support his Department can provide to local businesses who would like to promote tourism conferences.

Answer:

Tourism NI (TNI) work with a range of strategic partners and stakeholders to promote the North as a Business Tourism destination.

Through this work, a range of opportunities and supports are available to local businesses targeting this sector including -

Representation by TNI and our partners at a range of Business Tourism events and trade shows in national and international markets.

Support is available from TNI to allow local industry to attend national and international Business Tourism platforms such as IMEX America / IBTM / The Meetings Show.

Inclusion of local businesses on familiarisation programmes to

showcase their offering to a range of international event organisers.

Support and training to local businesses targeting the meetings, incentives, conferencing, and events sector to become market ready.

TNI provides funding to Visit Derry to implement an annual programme of sales and marketing activity supporting local businesses to secure international conferences to the region.

TNI provides funding to Visit Derry to deliver a Conference Support Scheme to help off-set the costs to organisers hosting a conference in the region.

By working with TNI local businesses can access a range of marketing opportunities such as inclusion on business tourism websites, social media and marketing campaigns.