To ask the Minister for the Economy how he will work to maximise the economic benefits for local traders and businesses from The Open being held at Royal Portrush Golf Club in 2025.

Tourism NI (TNI), on behalf of my department, is committed to working with key partners to deliver benefits from The 153rd Open in 2025 in excess of those of The 148th Open in 2019. The previous event generated more than £100 million of combined economic and media benefit for the North. The Causeway Coast area alone received a £26.21 million injection of new money.

The Open in 2025 will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors and will showcase the destination through the huge global broadcast reach and PR coverage generated, that will deliver a legacy for years to come. In 2019, TNI’s Golf Monitor demonstrated that 53% of people who visited the region to play golf that year were directly influenced by hosting of The Open.

An industry engagement programme will be delivered in the lead up to the event, in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. This will assist and advise local traders and businesses on how best to avail of opportunities that The Open will present. It will include working with businesses to provide reasons for event visitors to extend their stay and explore the wider area, alongside the ongoing support for the development of new and immersive authentic experiences that deliver on the 'Embrace a Giant Spirit' brand.

Sustainable workforce opportunities will be developed for beyond July 2025, through skills development, employment before, during and after the event, and volunteering. TNI will support the industry to recruit and retain staff through its ongoing ‘Make it Here’ careers campaign, and e-learning platform. In addition, TNI will work with Fáilte Ireland to extend its Employer Excellence Programme into the North to foster a culture of excellence in the workplace, making tourism and hospitality sectors rewarding and attractive places to work.

Aside from the world-class golf offering, other local experiences on the Causeway Coast will be promoted including high quality accommodation, restaurants, visitor attractions, and entertainment. In partnership with Tourism Ireland, a significant promotion and marketing campaign including a series of golf tour operator and media familiarisations trips in order to promote the destination to a global audience, will be delivered locally, nationally and globally, to encourage visitors to experience all our destination has to offer.

My vision is to cultivate a productive, regionally balanced and carbon-neutral economy that provides good jobs. The welcome return of The Open to our shores will support that ambition.