A British scheme to carry out security checks on people arriving from outside the the EU will have a “devastating impact” on tourism in Ireland. That’s the warning from Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister, Conor Murphy.
From today, visitors from outside Europe who pass through the UK border must complete a so-called electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
It applies to people visiting the UK without a visa including the six million per year from USA, Canada, and Australia. From April, the scheme will be extended to cover EU visitors except Irish passport holders.
The ETA costs £10 to complete the form and permits multiple journeys to the UK for up to two years.
Conor Murphy is worried that the scheme could put people off making the trip with a knock-on effect on tourism in Ireland.
Tourism to Ireland is promoted island-wide by the marketing board, Tourism Ireland. It was set up under the Belfast Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
The UK’s new ETA scheme includes Northern Ireland. Conor Murphy is urging the UK government to exempt Northern Ireland.
“Ideally a complete exemption should be introduced for those crossing into the north but not travelling on to Britain.
At the very least a time-limited exemption for people visiting up to seven days would cover most of our international visitors.”
He recently met with the British Home Office Minister, Seema Malhotra, to raise his concerns.
He says that data from Tourism Ireland suggests the ETA requirement will put off one-fifth of travellers from North America and one-quarter of Europeans.
The Home Office says the scheme will keep the UK “safe while ensuring visitors have a smooth travel experience.”
“Those applying for an ETA provide their biographic, biometric and contact details, and answer a short set of questions. This will increase our knowledge about those seeking to come to the UK and prevent the arrival of those who present a threat.”
The US mission in Ireland has warned its citizens that “effective January 8, 2025, all U.S. citizens who do not reside in Ireland transiting or traveling to the UK (including Northern Ireland) for tourism, family visits, business meetings, conferences, or short-term study for 6 months or less will require an ETA prior to travel.”
The UK’s ETA applies from 8 January 2025 to visitors from Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United States and Uruguay