AQW 18490/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 20/11/2024
Answered On Date: 26/11/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for his assessment of the impact of the lack of an updated international relations strategy has on the ability of the Executive to promote Northern Ireland as an attractive tourist destination.

Answer:

The North is successfully promoted as an attractive tourism destination overseas by Tourism Ireland and closer to home by Tourism NI.

Whilst I look forward to the publication of an updated International Relations Strategy, both of the agencies that promote the North to potential visitors have bespoke strategies for identifying target customers, with sustainability at the heart of their approach.

For overseas visitors, resources are focused on delivering ‘revenue per carbon footprint’, prioritising visitors with value adding tourism traits. This approach also encourages sustainable tourism itineraries for our overseas visitors, including active travel, rail travel and ways to get out into nature.

Officials responsible for the development of the Executive’s International Relations strategy also sit on the Tourism Partnership Board, to ensure that common themes can be identified and maximised.