To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment how he plans to support existing hotels in the North Coast area to gain maximum benefit from the staging of the Open Golf Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush.

The Open Championship in 2019 will be the largest event Northern Ireland has ever hosted. It offers exceptional opportunities to build a positive image of Northern Ireland and in particular the North Coast area internationally, help grow overnight visitor numbers and spend and consolidate Northern Ireland’s position as the home of great events.

Based on visitor numbers and spectator forecast for the event it is anticipated there will be substantial demand for accommodation, not just in the North Coast area but across Northern Ireland.

Tourism NI is working closely with the R&A and the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) to ensure that the benefits are maximised for both accommodation providers and visitors. The R&A has engaged an operator to deliver a centralised booking facility for the event. The operator is planning a series of engagements with hotels to progress this.