Tourists view Eire and Ulster as a single destination

Ireland has become a single country in the eyes of visiting tourists, according to the Northern Ireland Hotels and Caterers Association.

In the week that the new Northern Ireland Assembly was established at Stormont, Alastair Good, acting chief executive of the association, said tourists were now treating Northern Ireland and the Republic as one place.

He said: "In recent years tourists have travelled more widely across North and South. We believe they see it as a single destination."

Hoteliers are expecting the establishment of the new assembly to create a small rise in tourism to Northern Ireland next year rather than the surge seen following the 1995 ceasefire.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is expecting this year's tourism numbers to show a 10% increase on 1998 but was cautious over predicting figures for 2000.

"After the ceasefire there was huge curiosity about the area. The latest period of political stability will have a positive impact on tourism, but we are not expecting the rise to be dramatic," said a spokeswoman.

The hospitality industry is now waiting to find out if it will have any representation in the new, single, tourism body for Ireland, which is expected to be created early next year. The new body will take over from the Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative headed by a committee of industry representatives.

Political difficulties have delayed the setting up of the body but talks are expected to start again next week.

"Nobody expected it to be easy. It is still early days," said a spokesman from Bord Fáilte, the Irish tourist board.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board confirmed that the organisation would exist in addition to existing tourist boards.

by Christina Golding

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 9 - 15 December 1999