AQW 7793/17-22 Written question to the Minister for the Economy
To ask the Minister for the Economy what support she will provide to travel agents in the current context of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Asked by Stewart Dickson MLA on 29 September 2020
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 29 September 2020
- Answer due by
- 14 October 2020
- Answered
- 3 December 202065 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for the Economy
- Priority question
- No
Answer
I appreciate the difficulty and stress that the Covid-19 public health crisis has placed upon local businesses and our economy at large and I am fully aware that the travel industry has been impacted particularly hard, both locally and on a global scale.
To date, 11 Travel Agencies have received support via the £25,000 Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Grant scheme and a further 32 received support via the NI Microbusiness Hardship Fund. Travel Agents would also have been eligible to apply for the £10,000 Small Business Support Grant Scheme, however I am unable to provide a figure for grants provided for them.
Travel Agencies operating in retail premises have also benefitted from 100% rates holiday for 12 months in 2020/2021. Businesses employing staff would also have been able to claim for 80% of workers’ wage costs via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Any self-employed Travel Agents would also have been able to claim for 80% of profits via the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
A further £9.9 million of tourism support was allocated by the Executive to the Department on 24 September, along with a further £8.5 million allocated for assistance to business.
I have met with representatives of the travel industry to hear the challenges facing the industry directly and I am supportive of a specific financial support package being developed for the industry which is facing ongoing hardship due to the ongoing travel restrictions and the resulting reduction in travelling by the public.
The First Minister, deputy First Minister, accompanied by the Finance Minister, also met with representatives from the Association of Northern Ireland Travel Agents on 4 November to discuss how the sector has been impacted by the pandemic and have agreed to explore financial support for the sector. I await their recommendations following that engagement.
Any decisions on further support measures for this sector, and the wider economy, will be agreed collectively by the Executive.