The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system poses a “real risk” to Northern Ireland’s tourism industry, a senior civil servant has said.
The ETA will be a requirement for people to come to the UK without requiring a visa, but the ETA will not apply to Irish nationals as they have the right to travel to any part of the UK based on the common travel area.
Speaking at a tourism event in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s permanent secretary for the economy, Ian Snowden, praised the industry’s recovery after the coronavirus pandemic, but warned that challenges remained.
“We cannot be complacent. While there is much to be positive about, we still have a long way to go before we fully recover post-pandemic and there are some new challenges we must address,” Belfast said. He was speaking at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s 2024 marketing plan at .
“I think many of you here are concerned about the UK Government’s proposed electronic travel authorization system.
“There is a real risk here that it could deter tourists from coming to Ireland, including Northern Ireland as part of their visiting itinerary, with 70% of overseas visitors arriving here via the Republic. Given that you are traveling and communicating operational messages to those around you, getting this plan right is critical.
“To that end, the Department has worked closely with the Home Office on what factors to consider in relation to Northern Ireland, how to develop a communications strategy and how to operate the system.
“It seems unusual to say something like this after so much debate over Brexit, but I have asked civil servants based in the UK to remind them that the UK has land borders with other countries. Getting people to understand can be difficult.
“But then we have to help them understand how it actually works, what the boundaries are, and how it affects us. .
“We will continue to work hard to minimize the impact of ETA to the extent humanely possible.”