(TAN): Nearly 3,000 tourism businesses in Northern Ireland could fail owing to the slump caused by Covid-19 if immediate support is not provided, repots said.
Northern Ireland’s economy minister Diane Dodds reportedly said the tourism sector is facing a massive drop in activity.
“Industry estimates 3,000 tourism businesses that may not survive in the long term without immediate help in the sector,” Dodds was quoted by Belfast Telegraph as saying.
According to reports, Titanic Belfast, a major tourist attraction, has seen a 50% dip in visitor numbers.
Dodds said the executive was working on a stimulus package – including measures on business rates, as per reports.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy said many local businesses were concerned about the risk of bankruptcy, and he hoped to soon announce support for Northern Ireland businesses, reports said.
Hospitality Ulster’ Chief Executive Officer Colin Neill reportedly said financial assistance was crucial for companies that were being compelled to close in the given circumstances. Hospitality Ulster is an organisation that represents the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.
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“The hospitality industry is the first hit, will be the worst hit and will be harder to recover. We need practical solutions, we need to be working with government and we need government to give us leadership. We have said we will do everything asked of us and more and to date we have done that,” Neill was quoted by BBC News as saying.
“As this situation develops, if and when we have to close we need packages to support our people. Our staff rely on us to put bread on their table and we need a coordinated approach to know they’re okay. Then we need to start on all the things to save the businesses to ensure they have jobs when they come back,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Balmoral Show, Northern Ireland’s largest agricultural event that drew 120,000 visitors last year, has been postponed until August, as per reports. The show was scheduled to take place between May 13 and May 16 at the Maze near Lisburn, will now be held from August 19 to 22, reports said.
