Debate contribution: All-Ireland Tourism

Debate contribution by Mr Conor Murphy on 18 June 2024.

MLA

Mr Conor Murphy

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

18 June 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

All-Ireland Tourism

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4497346

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and thank Members for their contributions. Tourism provides employment for 70,000 people here, 70% of whom work outside Belfast. That highlights the importance and the potential of tourism to the local economy, with places to see and visit in communities across the North. Its strong subregional presence means that tourism already has a sustainable basis for people across the North, wherever they live, to have the opportunity to earn a living in their neighbourhoods. For that reason, it is a key sector in delivering regional balance, which is one of my key priorities. Tourism also has the capacity to contribute to good jobs, by providing employment opportunities for all; to productivity, by embracing new and emerging technologies, both in the sector itself and in attracting people here; and to decarbonisation, because tourists are thinking about green issues when selecting their destinations, and Tourism NI already works closely with business operators to embed sustainability in how they deliver their business. Tourism was identified as an area of cooperation under the Good Friday Agreement, recognising the potential for the growth of the sector on an all-island basis. That is why Tourism Ireland was established and tasked with promoting Ireland as a destination for visitors from across the globe. As Economy Minister, I will fund Tourism Ireland properly so that it has the resources to attract more people here. If we want the North to be part of a traveller's full Irish experience, it needs to be promoted in that way too. In discussions with Minister Martin, the Tourism Minister in the South, I outlined the clear potential from extending Fáilte Ireland's regional brands into the North. The Wild Atlantic Way already stretches 2,500 kilometres from the Old Head of Kinsale in County Cork to the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal, a driving route that showcases visitor attractions along Ireland's rugged west coast. The coastline that embodies the spirit of the Wild Atlantic Way, shaped by the ocean, does not stop at Lough Foyle. It continues from Derry past Benone beach and Mussenden Temple and from there on to Dunluce Castle via the Giant's Causeway and beyond to Dunseverick Castle in Ballintoy. That has been recognised, with Ireland's three agencies — Tourism Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and Fáilte Ireland — already working collaboratively to bring together experiences for visitors on the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway coastal route. That Shared Island initiative, which is worth almost €8 million, will identify key discovery points along both existing routes. It is bringing the routes closer together through new signage and will provide a small capital grants scheme for tourism experiences. It will be backed up by a destination marketing plan along the routes, together with the aim of achieving longer visitor stays and greater economic benefits in the north-west and across the north coast. It places Derry as the destination city, and it opens up the opportunity of incorporating the Causeway coastal route into the northern section of the Wild Atlantic Way. The project reinforces the belief of Ministers North and South in the untapped benefits of all-island tourism and the opportunity that it provides to create good jobs in local communities. In that context, discussions continue on extending the Wild Atlantic Way branding to the North. One of the amendments suggested including Counties Fermanagh and Tyrone in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, which I agree with. Fáilte Ireland's Hidden Heartlands focuses on the nature-based experiences of waterways and walking trails, stretching from north Cork up to Cavan and Leitrim. The peace and tranquillity of that landscape follows the winding trail of the River Shannon up to the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. The Fermanagh lakelands share those characteristics, and there is a natural fit for Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to be extended further. There already is considerable collaboration between Cavan County Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on tourism development. The extension of the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand will only build on that good work, providing even more opportunities for sustainable economic growth in the north-west. The third of Fáilte Ireland's regional brands is Ireland’s Ancient East. Starting at the south-eastern coast with Waterford and Wexford and extending northwards, it brings life to the culture, heritage and history of the region, drawing on Irish mythology and the Viking and Norman histories of the area.

It would take little imagination for the likes of Navan Fort, the Mournes and Strangford to be incorporated into that brand experience, along with the areas associated with St Patrick: Lecale, Downpatrick and Armagh. Linkages already exist in that area for tourists to explore, with the recent announcement of funding from the Shared Island Fund for the Narrow Water bridge, which will bring together Louth and the Mournes. I have agreed to meet representatives from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to hear how parts of Armagh and Down might be included in Ireland's Ancient East. The benefits that such regional brand opportunities can deliver is recognised in communities. My proposals have been developed following extensive engagement with councils and tourism operators on the ground. I have already been told clearly and repeatedly that there is a real appetite for those brand experiences to be extended to the North, and I welcome the views of all parties in the Chamber in support of that. People are rightly excited about the possibilities that the brands will provide by encouraging visitors to come here more often and stay with us for longer. Those on the ground are best placed to guide and deliver the needs of the industry. That is why I am establishing a tourism partnership board to deliver strategic actions for the sector by the sector. I turn to the ETA. Seamless all-island travel is key to building on the growth that we have seen in our tourism sector since the Good Friday Agreement. I am therefore extremely concerned about the introduction of the British Government's electronic travel authorisation scheme and its potential to deter tourists from including the North in their itinerary. I see it as a real risk to the huge growth potential for tourism here. That view is shared by the industry. I welcome in particular the representations made by the Tourism Alliance. In 2019, international visitors, who would require an ETA if it were to be introduced, contributed £220 million to the local economy, and that could be impacted on by the introduction of the ETA scheme. The bureaucracy and cost involved may deter many visitors who arrive in the South from travelling North. Given the fact that 70% of overseas holidaymakers come from the South, that poses a very serious threat. I am pleased to hear that those concerns are shared across the Benches. The ETA is consistently raised as one of the tourism industry's biggest concerns. For that reason, I wrote to the British Minister of State for Legal Migration and the Border in April, seeking an urgent meeting to raise my concerns and find solutions that will protect our tourism industry. I have had no response to that letter. I intend to write again to seek an urgent meeting with the new British Home Secretary following the general election. In addition, given that the concerns about the ETA are shared across the political spectrum, my preference is for an agreed Executive position to be communicated to the British Home Office. I therefore intend to bring a paper to the Executive to seek their agreement to the First Minister and deputy First Minister also writing to the new British Home Secretary after the general election. I turn to a number of the points that were raised during the debate. There were many consistent views, particularly in relation to the electronic travel authorisation scheme. There were a few broadcasts from various parts of the country for the tourism offering there. I do not disagree with any of those. On amendment No 1, I find myself agreeing with the leader of the Opposition in that I do not think that there is a difficulty in having international brands that complement local brands. That is the experience. People will know of various advertisements that they see if they are considering going on an international trip and that, within those, there are subsectors of particular localised brands. I do not see a challenge in adopting those national brands and retaining localised brands, which give people who come to the area additional experiences and interest. My concern with the DUP amendment is also in line with what the leader of the UUP expressed. Doug Beattie stated that "getting rid" of the ETA is "the best thing to do". I do not think that we should set short the Executive's position. I want to see the Executive challenge in a robust way the very existence of the ETA. I get where the DUP is coming from in its amendment. I do not think that we will necessarily seek to divide the House on it, but my proposition to the Executive will be for them to press not for a limitation on its use but for no use. We are getting the clear message from industry that anything that creates an additional bureaucratic hurdle will be a deterrent to people coming to the North. Our best and first option should be to get rid of the ETA. As I said, I do not see any need to divide the House on that. We have a fairly common approach; it is just a matter of nuance. Hopefully, the Executive will back my proposition so that it will be not only me going to the Home Office but the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

The Chair of the Economy Committee raised questions about the tourism partnership board. As he mentioned, we have put the partnership board together to enable cross-departmental engagement on relevant issues. The membership will be drawn from relevant Departments as well as including representatives from the tourism sector, the hospitality industry and local government. Once finalised, letters of invitation will be issued. I intend to provide the board with a draft action plan. The final document, however, will be co-designed by the board, and I am happy to share with the Committee the terms of reference and any further information and updates that it wishes.

I beg your pardon; I was in full flow.

I support the motion and the Sinn Féin amendment. I do not wish to oppose the other amendment, but my position is that we need to take a strong and robust position on the ETA.

1,772 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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