The tourism industry may have a brighter future ahead.
Economy Minister Diane Dodds is to head a group set up to lead the recovery of tourism in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) has welcomed the announcement by Mrs Dodds, of the setting up of a Tourism Recovery Group.
Welcoming the news, NIHF CEO Janice Gault said they have been lobbying for such a group over the last number of weeks.
“As a sector, hotels are keen to play their part in the road to recovery working in partnership with the wider tourism industry and Government. A collaborative grouping of this nature will allow exploration of tourism recovery options, an analysis of the assistance the industry requires and the actions required to maximise the economic potential of the industry as lockdown is lifted.
“There will be changes in how businesses is done and it is important that the sector has a clear understanding of what recovery involves in the short, medium and long term,” she said.
She said hotels have invested in the region of £600m over the last five years, creating over 2,000 new jobs.
“We welcome Minister Dodds’ commitment to the sector and her recognition of its role as an economic driver and supporter of 10% of the jobs in Northern Ireland. Hotels are an integral part of the tourism jigsaw underpinning visitor travel. These are challenging times but it is important that tourism is seen as a key contributor in Northern Ireland’s economic future,” added Janice Gault.
