The Northern Ireland tourism sector will lose £160 million a year if a plan to introduce visa waiver requirements for overseas visitors goes ahead, industry body the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (NITA) has said.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) would require tourists who are not British or Irish citizens or UK visa holders to apply and hold a visa waiver to cross the border from the Republic to Northern Ireland.
Part of Westminster’s Nationalities and Borders bill, the ETA would have a devastating impact on Northern Ireland’s overseas tourism market by dissuading visitors who arrive into the Republic from visiting Northern Ireland, or those arriving in to Northern Ireland from travelling outside the province, the NITA said in a briefing to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
Additionally, it warned that overseas workers resident in the Republic who need to cross the border each day would also be penalised with both additional cost and administration to deal with. That, the NITA warned, would further tighten the supply of labour in the sector.
NITA said the ETA isn’t fit for purpose and will severely dent overseas visitor spend in Northern Ireland which accounts for around one fifth of total tourist take.
“The ETA is simply unworkable and fails to take into account the particular circumstances of the island of Ireland and the need for seamless travel from South to North,” Joanne Stuart, chief executive officer of NITA, said. “Our border has over 300 crossings, it runs through fields and houses. Many tour groups and independent travellers cross the border multiple times, even in the same day, often without realising.
“To have a charge and administrative process for each crossing would be totally unworkable.”
Ms Stuart said that aside from the additional cost, the practical administration and enforcement of the scheme would be a “logistical nightmare”.
“During the pandemic we saw first-hand how having different regulations north and south of the border affects tourism. We need to do more to encourage tourism, not make it more difficult.”
The cost implications of the move, should the bill pass in its current form, are significant, the NITA said.
“Our feedback from the industry is that the additional cost together with the administrative burden would be extremely off-putting for tourists,” Ms Stuart said. “Our calculations say that this could result in a loss of upwards of £160 million per year, an estimated 15% of the total tourism spend in 2019.
“For an industry building back after losing twelve months trading due to the pandemic, we are calling on the UK Government to take on board our concerns and find a solution that fits the unique position that Northern Ireland is in.”
