AQW 12942/22-27

Mr Justin McNulty
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Newry and Armagh

Tabled Date: 04/06/2024
Answered On Date: 10/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) for an update on his engagement with the UK government in relation to the electronic travel authorisation (ETA); and (ii) for his assessment of the ETA's impact on the tourism sector.

Answer:

I am concerned about the impact of the introduction of the British Government’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Scheme on our tourism sector. I see it as a real risk to the huge growth potential for tourism here.

For that reason, I wrote to Tom Pursglove MP, the Minister for Legal Migration and the Border at the British Home Office on 26 April 2024 to seek an urgent meeting to discuss my concerns and to find solutions that would protect our tourism industry such as an exemption for tourists crossing the land border into the north. I have had no response to my letter, and we are now into the pre-election period ahead of the British General Election. I intend to write again to the relevant British Home Office Minister when one is appointed after the election next month.

Tourism is performing extremely well with the number of external overnight visitors quadrupling between 1998 and 2019. Seamless all-island travel is key to this growth. In 2019, international visitors (who will require an ETA when introduced) contributed £220 million to the local economy and it is this expenditure that could be impacted by the introduction of the ETA scheme.