Minister of Northern Ireland, Diane Dodds recently explained that there had been “alarming drop-off inactivity” in the tourism sector.
She disclosed that Titanic Belfast, one of the key attractions of the country, was seeing visitor numbers going down by 50% compared to this time last year.
In the meantime, the Balmoral Show has been kept on hold till August 2020. It’s one of major Northern Ireland’s agricultural events and attracted 120,000 people in 2019.
On Monday, seven new coronavirus cases were confirmed in NI, bringing a total to 52.
Mrs. Dodds stated that the executive was working on a stimulus package. She emphasized that steps would be taken on business rates, the property taxes paid by companies.
Though she did not commit to the same measures introduced in England.
Also, Mrs. Dodds has forecasted that a recession is probably saying the modest growth for Northern Ireland this year will be “wiped out or worse”.
The decision to put off the Balmoral Show was taken after a management meeting on Monday afternoon.
The show was scheduled to be held over four days from 13-16 May at the Maze near Lisburn.
Now, it has been postponed to 19-22 August.
Belfast City Council has decided to shut down all concert venues like the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall as well as St George’s Market.
The Finance Minister, Conor Murphy said on Monday that soon he will be making an announcement in terms of support for NI businesses under pressure due to coronavirus crisis.
Mr. Murphy was replying to an urgent question from Alliance assembly member Andrew Muir, who had questioned him to summarize his plans in protecting jobs during the Covid-19 outbreak by helping through the non-domestic rating system.
Mr. Muir mentioned that many local businesses are “worried sick” in regards to the tough decisions ahead and the risk of bankruptcy.
Mr. Murphy has informed the assembly that his department is keen to put together a package that identifies there has been moved due to the initiative taken by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak to give small businesses in England a rates holiday.
