Cross-border tourism to be affected by ETA proposals

CALLS have been made to ensure that a controversial visa system for non-Irish nationals crossing from the Republic is scrapped, amidst fears that it could decimate the local tourism economy.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) was mooted by the British Government in the wake of Brexit as a border protection mechanism.

However, whilst Irish citizens in the Republic will not be required to obtain an ETA, non-Irish nationals, such as tourists who arrive in Ireland, would have to apply for the extra visa in order to travel into the North.

Sinn Féin councillor, Paul Boggs commented, “If the ETA requirement is not stopped, it would have a devastating impact upon tourism locally, and in the north west as a whole.

“For example, the NI Tourism Alliance estimates that more than 30 per-cent of visitors to Derry are from outside the Common Travel Area (CTA).

“Likewise, key local attractions like the Ulster American Folk Park have high visitor numbers from outside the CTA, whilst Strabane is the gateway to Donegal for the thousands of foreign tourists who descend on Donegal each summer.”

Furthermore, Cllr Boggs said that the move would result in many tour operators refusing to bring coach tours to the North due to the legal, financial and practical difficulties which would arise from the new visa.

He concluded by saying, “Tourism Ireland markets Ireland as a whole, yet the British Government is attempting to impose this ridiculous ETA requirement, which runs counter to the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.”

Cllr Boggs’ party colleague, Órfhlaith Begley MP, recentlymet with Tourism Alliance to discuss the problem.

The West Tyrone MP stated, “I am calling on the Home Office to scrap the Electronic Travel Authorisation proposals which will create a barrier for tourists and visitors coming from the South to the North of Ireland.”

She accused the British Government of a ‘lack of understanding’ over the damaging impact the legislation will have to tourism on the island as a whole.

She continued, “At present, around 70 per-cent of tourists in the North arriving in Ireland via Dublin,” she continued. “This legislation directly threatens £250 million that’s spent in the local economy. I have recently met with Tourism Alliance and other hospitality groups who are opposed to the introduction of this legislation.

“The British Home Office should withdraw these absurd proposals.”