§ Mr. Gregory CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public funding has been provided to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board over the past five years; and what research has been undertaken to ascertain the opinions of visitors to the Province, other than those visiting friends and relatives, regarding the facilities on offer. [112611]
§ Mr. PearsonThe total amount of public funding provided to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board over the past five years was £66,504,000.
The following is a breakdown of the public funding provided in each of these years.
£ million 1998–99 14,162 1999–2000 12,583 2000–01 13,445 2001–02 13,180 2002–03 13,134 NITB carried out surveys in 1995, 1998 and 2000 of visitors on holiday in Northern Ireland to identify factors important to them when choosing a holiday destination and to rate Northern Ireland against those factors. As part of the survey, participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with a range of Northern Ireland tourism products and services. A further survey is planned for summer 2003.