To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for an update on the plans to publish an updated Strategy for Tourism; and how an enforced strategy will contribute to continued growth in this sector.

I commissioned an independent review of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and wider tourism structures in 2014 and plan to make a statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly on the outcome of that Review on 20 January. A key recommendation from the review was that the Northern Ireland Executive should publish an updated Strategy for Tourism at an early date.

The Hunter Review indicates that a new strategy would aid the development of collaborative partnerships across the industry, in government and beyond, which are the building blocks for future progress. An updated overarching tourism strategy would help tourism partners to work together and understand their role in the achievement of common goals and in the realisation of important synergies. A new strategy would set stretching targets and identify key priorities for action taking account of the emergence of new developments, initiatives and trends in tourism.

Continued growth in tourism is vital to the rebalancing of the local economy and I will ensure that the necessary action is taken to deliver on my and the industry’s aspiration to make tourism a £1billion industry by 2020.