To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the work he is undertaking to increase the volume of conferences being held in Northern Ireland as part of generating greater tourism spend in the local economy.

To determine the potential to generate tourism revenue into the local economy from conferences and business events, Tourism NI led on the development of an Integrated Strategy for Business Events.

Tourism NI is currently conducting research to update the revenue potential for business tourism since the pandemic.

Tourism NI works with Belfast City Council and Derry City & Strabane District Council and their Destination Management Organisations, Visit Belfast & Visit Derry to undertake an annual programme of sales and marketing activity. This supports local businesses and the region to secure international conferences and achieve growth - increasing the North’s ability to attract high value, year-round, midweek business events to the region.

Tourism NI, Belfast City Council & Derry City & Strabane District Council also provide funding for conference support to attract conference business into the North.

Tourism NI also coordinates and leads delegations of local industry attendance at national and international Business Tourism trade shows such as IMEX Frankfurt, IMEX America, IBTM World, The Meetings Show and in-market activity in the business tourism markets of North America, Britain & Germany.

On foot of this activity, in 2023-24 conferences here generated £41 million of direct economic expenditure into the local economy.