AQW 12012/22-27

Ms Sorcha Eastwood
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 15/05/2024
Answered On Date: 23/05/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy whether the tourism action plan, which is under development, will be fully costed.

Answer:

I intend to publish a Tourism Vision and accompanying 10-Year Action Plan that will be co-designed and co-delivered with the industry. The Tourism Partnership Board will make recommendations to me on the final Vision and Action Plan, to help ensure alignment with my Department’s and the Executive’s broader economic plans. The Action Plan will be subject to the constraints of my Department’s budget allocation.

There is currently only a single year budget. Within that, I have already made allocations to take forward key actions that I envisage being part of my Action Plan. I have allocated over £18.5m to ensure that my Department meets its funding commitment to our delivery partner Tourism Ireland, who is tasked with promoting Ireland as a destination for international visitors. I have also allocated £500k to Tourism NI to allow it to extend the Employer Excellence Programme into the North.