A body representing the Northern Ireland tourism sector has warned of dire consequences for its members if the Executive doesn’t quickly supply them with a reopening date.
It said the current lockdown and enforced closure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic risks setting the industry back by up to 15 years and added that businesses have been left with little hope for the future in the absence of any clear reopening plan.
The Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (NITA) said tourism has been effectively shut down since December 2020 and is devastated and debt-laden.
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It said it welcomed the support provided by government to date but that more focus was needed now to help navigate the next stage of easing restrictions.
In particular, it said the Executive must look to urgently remove the current travel restrictions in place with the rest of 海角视频 now that the vaccine rollout was advancing to pave the way for safe travel in the coming weeks and months.
“Pre-Covid, 50% of visitors from outside the region came from England, Scotland and Wales, and given the current restrictions for international travel, the importance of this market cannot be under-estimated,” NITA said in a statement.
NITA chief executive Joanne Stuart said government action is urgent.
“An industry recognised as pivotal to our economic and societal wellbeing has been flattened by Covid-19 and is in a race for survival. Unless urgent action is taken to ensure its future financial viability, where thousands of livelihoods stand in the balance, tourism’s potential to drive economic recovery in the years ahead will be severely impacted,”
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Stuart said that as restrictions ease, it is critical that the Executive engages quickly with the industry to urgently progress a plan for safe reopening which includes adequate notice for businesses to act, in addition to further funding support to ensure the sector can survive and rebuild into next year.
Although a Tourism Action Plan has been agreed as part of Northern Ireland’s Economic Recovery Strategy, the £290 million earmarked to fund its delivery has still yet to be formally agreed, Stuart said.
“Without engagement, adequate notice and a clear commitment of support, there’s every reason that operators right across the industry will go out of business, retract or shut their doors for good,” Joanne Stuart said. “As restrictions ease and consumer confidence continues to build as the vaccination rollout continues apace, the time to prepare to remove barriers to travel across the 海角视频 is now.”
NITA said it is the largest tourism body in Northern Ireland. Its members include air, sea and road operators, accommodation providers, visitor attractions, museums and tour guides.