Douglas to head up new all-party hospitality group

Sammy Douglas MLA has been elected as the chair of the new All-Party Group on Hospitality and Tourism at the NI Assembly.

The group has been set-up in a bid to provide MLAs with an insight into the sectors and to help them make better decisions in relation to local hospitality.

It is made up by MLAs from across the parties at the Assembly and is expected to meet on a regular basis to receive expert briefings and up-to-date information on the performance of the hospitality and tourism sectors and to challenge current policies.

Colin Neill from trade body, Hospitality Ulster, says that the new group will be a “forum for exchange” for elected representatives with a strong interest in this important element of the local economy:

“The election of Sammy Douglas as the new chair gives us confidence that the group will have strong leadership and that the members will be well engaged over the next year.”

Sammy Douglas said that he was looking forward to working on a range of issues that he hoped would help to inform the Assembly and guide its policy-making:

“Hospitality Ulster is a leading representative body and we, as elected representatives, on the group, will be able to access the wealth of information that they have, including a direct link to those on the ground.”