AQW 50697/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 02/09/2026
Answered On Date: 07/09/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail (i) the estimated annual economic contribution of tourism to the Causeway Coast and Glens; (ii) the number of businesses supported by the tourism economy; and (iii) the number of jobs supported by the sector, over the last three years.

Answer:

Data published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) relating to spend on overnight trips taken in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council indicate:

In 2023 £204 million was spent in the area (representing 17% of overnight trip expenditure here)

In 2024 £210 million was spent in the area (17% of overnight trip expenditure here)

In 2025 £184 million was spent in the area (15% of overnight trip expenditure here)

NISRA advise that annual overnight trip expenditure estimates for local government districts should not be compared directly year-on-year.

Data published by NISRA on VAT and/or PAYE tourism businesses operating in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council indicate:

In 2023 there were 490 tourism businesses operating in the area (representing 8% of VAT and/or PAYE tourism businesses operating here)

In 2024 there were 520 tourism businesses operating in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council (8% of total VAT and/or PAYE tourism businesses operating here)

In 2025 there were 540 tourism businesses (9% of total VAT and/or PAYE tourism businesses operating here)

The latest available NISRA tourism employee jobs figures for the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council relate to 2022. Figures were not published for 2020.

In 2021 there were 5,094 tourism employee jobs in the area (representing 8% of total tourism employee jobs here)

In 2022 there were 5,602 tourism employee jobs (8% of total tourism employee jobs here)