§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what(a) benefits and (b) grants are available when building (i) guest houses and (ii) other forms of tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland. [148765]
§ Mr. PearsonAdvice on establishing and certifying tourism accommodation businesses is available from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB). Support with operating, managing and developing tourism businesses is available through Invest NI.
Invest NI can provide grant assistance for the upgrading of existing guesthouses certified by the NITB, the development of high quality "country type" guesthouse accommodation in existing habitable properties and the building of new guesthouses on brown field sites in traditional seaside resort towns. In addition, Invest NI can make available financial assistance and a range of business support programmes for the building and development of hotels, hostels, self-catering and bed and breakfast establishments.
Assistance is also available from a number of other sources. For example, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development offers assistance to create new tourist accommodation bed spaces under the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border of Ireland (PEACE II) funded Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative. Through the LEADER + programme, administered through 12 local action groups, existing NITB certified tourist accommodation properties may be eligible for funding to assist with upgrading and expansion. The Department of Social Development may make available grants to support the building of guesthouses or other forms of tourist accommodation to support, where appropriate, wider regeneration in Northern Ireland.