NEW border regulations for visitors to the UK which came into effect this week are expected to have a “devastating impact” on tourism in Northern Ireland.
A new Home Office travel scheme requiring all non-European visitors to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) prior to their arrival came into effect on January 8.
It means all non-European travellers must now present the ETA to be allowed to pass through the UK border.
Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister Conor Murphy claims the scheme will “damage” tourism in the region, where 67 per cent of its overseas holidaymakers from outside of Britain and Ireland arrive via southern Ireland.
Non-EU visitors must now obtain an ETA to enter the UKMinister Murphy has raised his concerns with Seema Malhotra, the Home Office Minister for Migration and Citizenship.
He has called for an ETA exemption for travellers who visit the North from the south and are not travelling on to Britain.
“I have made it clear to Minister Malhotra that solutions to the ETA scheme are needed to protect the North’s tourism sector,” Minister Murphy said.
“Ideally a complete exemption should be introduced for those crossing into the north but not travelling on to Britain,” he added.
“At the very least a time-limited exemption for people visiting up to seven days would cover most of our international visitors.”
He explained: “The existing exemption for French school groups shows that a solution is perfectly possible.
“A similar, pragmatic, and flexible approach could be taken by the Home Office to avoid damaging tourism growth in the north.”
Judith Owens, CEO of Titanic Belfast and Chair of the NI Tourism Alliance, claims the new ETA scheme risks a loss of £210m in annual tourism revenue in the North.
“The introduction of the ETA scheme poses a substantial threat to Northern Ireland’s tourism sector,” she said.
“With approximately 70 per cent of our international visitors entering via the Republic of Ireland and crossing the land border, the additional requirement of obtaining an ETA could deter many from including Northern Ireland in their travel plans.”
She added: “This not only jeopardises an estimated £210 million in annual revenue but also risks diminishing our global tourism appeal.
“These visitors represent approximately one per cent of total international visitors to the UK and we urgently call on the UK Government to agree to an exemption to mitigate these adverse impacts and safeguard the future of our tourism industry.”
Announcing the opening of the scheme in November 2024, Ms Maholtra said the expansion of ETA is a “significant step forward in delivering a border that’s efficient and fit for the digital age.”
“Through light-touch screening before people step foot in the UK, we will keep our country safe while ensuring visitors have a smooth travel experience,” she added.
In April 2025 the scheme will extend to European visitors to the UK, although British and Irish citizens and permanent Irish residents will not require an ETA.
Minister Murphy has confirmed he will continue to press the British Government on the issue facing Northern Ireland.
“Our all-island economy is vital, and seamless all-island travel is key to building on the growth we have seen in our tourism sector,” he said.
“I share the strong concerns expressed by the tourism and travel industry here and will continue to press the British Government for a solution to this challenging issue.”