Tourism leaders in the North believe that airports in the region can take advantage of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport to secure more direct flights.
Dublin Airport has been subject to an annual passenger cap of 32 million since 2007 due to a planning condition.
However, this cap is expected to be exceeded next year, with ongoing legal battles aiming to raise it to 40 million.
Yesterday, Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland, the organisations responsible for marketing the entire island to international visitors, presented evidence to Stormont’s Economy Committee as part of a new 10-year action plan for the tourism sector.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, emphasised that her organisation aims to support the development of direct routes into the North.
She noted, “We place a strong emphasis on growing demand for routes into Northern Ireland or the regions of Ireland.
“This has become even more crucial with the Dublin …