Some 75,000 people will arrive in Northern Ireland on cruise ships this year, but a third of them will stay on board, members of a Stormont committee heard yesterday.

Tourism NI chiefs told the Assembly's economy committee that the province was only delivering about half of its tourist potential.

Ulster Unionist MLA Alan Chambers asked about the economic benefits of cruise ships arriving in the province.

Chief executive Mr John McGrillen replied that approximately 75,000 people were expected to land in Northern Ireland on such vessels this year.

But he added: "A third of them will not get off because they get everything for free when they are on (the ship)."

Product development director Laura McCorry said Tourism NI aimed to encourage people to "stop, stay and spend". But she admitted: "This is the antithesis of a cruise ship model."

Another UUP MLA, Steve Aiken, supported Mr McGrillen's suggestion of a reduced VAT rate of 9% for tourism-related spending in the province to match the Irish Republic, where the rate fell from 13.5% five years ago.

"If we had parity with the Republic of Ireland, that would be very helpful," Mr McGrillen insisted.

Northern Ireland is "still lagging behind" he added, and only "delivering about 50% of the potential" that it has - but the aim is for sector growth of 6% per annum.

Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy asked about the potential expansion of events-based tourism, and if Tourism NI was working with the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Mr McGrillen replied that he planned to meet the chief executive of Translink later this week to see how the two organisations could cooperate.

Belfast Telegraph