Tourist Numbers Targeted

The Assembly Minister responsible for tourism has set his department a challenge for inward tourism.

Nigel Dodds, Enterprise Minister said: "What we have set ourselves is a target of increasing the number of visits from 1.9 to 2.5 million by 2011.

"That's a substantial increase and we are also targeting an increase in spending to £520 million per year – that's up 40%.

"I am absolutely determined that Tourism Ireland will have to deliver on that – that also goes for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, I have to say.

"We're putting money in there too and we expect to see results in terms of our investment there."

Mr Dodds made his commitment following a meeting in Dublin this week with the Republic's Tourism Minister Seamus Brennan, which he said was aimed at "stretching and challenging targets" to lift tourism numbers and the amount of money being spent.

Describing the meeting as "businesslike and useful", he said they had discussed Tourism Ireland and spoke about general tourism issues.

Dodds continued: "Over the years we have to accept that Northern Ireland has suffered from a legacy of violence and the Troubles and we have to accept that we have to spend more on our tourism product and on our accommodation.

"We don't have as many hotels and we don't have as many facilities as the south has but I'm determined that we should make substantial investments in improving all that.

"I am absolutely determined to get the best possible value for money for Northern Ireland out of every penny that we spend whether it is Tourism Ireland, the NITB or whatever."

Tourism Ireland was established as one of the cross-border bodies in the wake of the Belfast Agreement and is jointly funded by the Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive on a two-to-one ratio.

It works with Fáilte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, particularly in the international promotion of the island of Ireland as a tourism destination.

(BMcC)