The Tourism Order Bill for Northern Ireland is undergoing major changes in 2010. The Order is the primary legislation that constitutes the Tourist Board and is designed to help develop and promote tourism in the area. The Order outlines the powers of the NITB.
There primary area of the Tourism Order that is being amended in 2010 is the frequency of which the NITB inspects tourist accommodations. While currently all accommodations must be inspected annually, the proposed change will make the inspections mandatory only once every four years. The reasoning behind this is sound, as most establishments undergo few significant changes from one year to the next. The proposed change will still allow for inspections to be conducted as necessary in order to respond to complaints, however, and will require accommodation providers to declare annually that they will comply with all NITB requirements in order to retain certification.
In addition to the change in frequency of inspections, changes are being made to the criteria by which establishments are assessed. Proposed changes include the addition of bunk houses and guest accommodations as tourist accommodations as well as the implementation of a star rating system and the addition of fees that will cover the incurred cost of inspections. The proposal, if passed, will help to ensure that tourists are offered acceptable accommodations while serving to add new options and enabling tourists to choose accommodations based on ratings provided by the NITB.