Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department invested in marketing and promoting Northern Ireland as a tourist destination during 1991 and 1992; how much his Department intends to have spent on marketing and promotion by the end of the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsFunded by the Government, the Northern Ireland tourist board has spent the following amounts (excluding salary and wages costs) on the marketing and promotion of Northern Ireland as a tourist destination:
£000's 1990–91 2,797 1991–92 1,821 1992–93 3,515 1993–94 3,410 1 Budget. Increased Government funding for tourism has enabled the tourist board to run a major television campaign in parts of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in addition to its normal marketing activities.
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Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visitors to Northern Ireland in 1992 stated holiday as their main reason for visiting; and what proportion of the total number of visitors that represented during the year.
§ Mr. AtkinsIn 1992, 247,200 pure holiday visitors came to Northern Ireland. This represents 20 per cent. of the total visitors.
Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the target numbers set out in the corporate plan 1992–95 by the Northern Ireland tourist board were achieved in 1992 in respect of(a) visits to friends and relatives, (b) holidays and (c) businesses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe number of business visitors to Northern Ireland in 1992 achieved and significantly exceeded the target, with 380,000 visitors as against a target of 336,000. In a difficult year for international tourism and despite achieving a 6 per cent overall increase in visitors, which produced the fourth successive record year for Northern Ireland tourism, the other two targets were not reached.
Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of tourists visiting Northern Ireland in 1992 also visited the Republic as a component part of their trip; what proportion of those were from(a) EC countries, (b) the United States of America and (c) elsewhere; and what was the average length of stay in both the north and the Republic.
§ Mr. AtkinsAn estimated 21 per cent. of the visitors to Northern Ireland in 1992 also visited the Republic of Ireland. The form of the tourist data collected is such that the information requested about origin and length of stay is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure by Northern Ireland residents on(a) leisure day trips and (b) domestic vacations during 1992; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe total expenditure by Northern Ireland residents on domestic vacations in 1992 was £44.63 million. Expenditure on leisure day trips is not collected on a regular basis although experimental surveys are being pursued to assess methodology of collection and the value of such data.