Tourism will be worth €16 billion to Northern Ireland and the Republic over the next three years, a cross-border body vowed today.
Tourism Ireland told the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin it was committed to maximising the number of visitors to both jurisdictions between now and 2010.
Stormont Economy Minister Nigel Dodds
Stormont Economy Minister Nigel Dodds, the Minister for Arts, Sports, and Tourism Seamus Brennan and Stormont Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew today met in Dublin Castle for the first tourism meeting of the Council since the Stormont Executive was restored in May.
The ministers received a briefing on Tourism Ireland's three-year corporate plan and key goals from chief executive Paul O'Toole.
The Council's Tourism Sectoral agreed to meet again in the spring. Mr Dodds said both governments were determined to achieve the ambitious tourism targets.
"These are competitive times as far as tourism is concerned," he said. "But challenging targets are also being set by the Northern Ireland government and by Tourism Ireland. It is our determination that these targets are met and hopefully exceeded."
"We want to spread the message that Northern Ireland is open for business - it is a warm and hospitable place and there is plenty to do and see.
"Positive political developments in recent years have helped us considerably in selling that message to the UK, Europe and the US."
Mr Dodds added: "Northern Ireland has suffered in the past primarily because of the Troubles but we're now coming out of that.