Northern Ireland tourism should grow in tandem with the Republic and not at the expense of it, the chairman of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Mr Roy Bailie, said in Dublin yesterday.
Mr Bailie said there were a number of reasons for optimism in tourism in Northern Ireland, including the advent of the new all-Ireland tourism marketing company Tourism Ireland Ltd, increased investment in tourism by the NI government, a drive towards public-private partnerships in the industry and the provision of increased resources for the NITB office in Dublin.
Mr Bailie said that because of co-funding, "for the first time in a long period the North and South can operate in tandem. The rising tide lifts all boats and we would wish to see the NI industry growing in tandem with the South and not at the expense of it."
They would see Dublin as their gateway market, he added.
Mr Bailie said tourism in Northern Ireland was in reasonably good shape.
Northern Ireland tourism had a lot of increased investment in hotels, restaurants, pubs, clubs.
Visitors had totalled 1.7 million last year and they had spent £265 million, he said.
The strength of sterling was a problem and the industry was conscious that it had to compete in the currency but also had to take account of the euro.