Tourism leaders expressed a desire for a transatlantic flight from Northern Ireland but emphasized the importance of ensuring such a route would be commercially sustainable.

Representatives from Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland, who jointly promote the island to international visitors, presented evidence to Stormont’s Economy Committee as part of a new 10-year action plan for the tourism sector.

Tourism NI chief executive John McGrillen highlighted the need for improved air connectivity, particularly with European destinations. He stated, “We are well-connected to the UK, but we lack strong links to key cities in populated areas of Europe. That’s where we want to see development.”

Alice Mansergh, Tourism Ireland’s chief executive, noted the importance of building demand for direct routes into Northern Ireland, referencing the cap on passenger numbers at Dublin Airport.

“We are focused on stimulating direct access into Northern Ireland and the regions of Ireland,” she said. “This has never been more important than now, given the constraints at ”ublin Airport.”

Mansergh highlighted recent collaborations with airlines to promote regional routes, including Loganair and Ryanair at City of Derry Airport, and British Airways and easyJet at Belfast City and International airports.

Alliance Party MLA David Honeyford inquired about efforts to strengthen European connections. McGrillen responded that while European routes were a priority, any opportunity to establish direct transatlantic flights would also be welcomed. However, he acknowledged the challenges posed by such routes in the past.

Northern Ireland has been without a direct transatlantic flight for several years. The power-sharing Executive’s draft programme for government, released in September, includes a proposal to work with the British government to support a pre-clearance facility at Belfast International Airport for U.S. flights.

Honeyford also questioned whether the Department for the Economy’s strategy relied on using Dublin Airport as a hub for long-haul flights. Michelle Scott, the department’s director of economic partnership and delivery, confirmed ongoing work on securing a transatlantic route but stressed the importance of sustainability.

“We hope to take advantage of the Dublin Airport cap to secure more direct flights into Northern Ireland,” Scott said. “However, the challenge is maintaining long-haul routes. While it was fantastic to have flights from America in the past, we couldn’t sustain them.”

Mansergh emphasized that profitability drives airline decisions. “Dublin is now the third-largest European transatlantic hub after Heathrow and Frankfurt,” she said. “To establish direct links to Belfast International, we must ensure they can be commercially viable.”

She concluded, “While Dublin remains a hub, we aim to encourage visitors to explore the entire island. Thankfully, many American tourists don’t consider a two-hour drive a long journey.”