Business Support
Remember to check out our skills, training and business support section for details on how Council can help you develop and grow your business.
New Accommodation Development and Registration
Whether you are using Airbnb, a booking agency like Booking.com or if you’re letting accommodation directly to tourists, it must be inspected and certified by Tourism NI to ensure compliance with the Tourism (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 before you start trading. This includes holiday and short stay accommodation and mobile homes within caravan parks. The process helps to ensures minimum standards for tourists staying here.
It is illegal to offer tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland without a certificate from Tourism NI so please advise anyone you know who is doing so to get certified. Council cannot promote or market any uncertified accommodation providers.
Further information can be found on Tourism NI's website: Getting started in Accommodation - What do you need to consider?
Application forms can be found online here.
Accommodation providers can also contact Tourism NI directly. E: qa@tourismni.com
Tourism Statistics / Market Demand / Consumer Sentiment Surveys
You can find online lots of relevant tourism statistics produced by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) plus research and survey results from Tourism NI.
Planning Requirements
It is your responsibility for seeking, or not seeking, planning permission. If required, planning permission should be granted before development commences. Information on planning can be found here or contact planning@midandeastantrim.gov.uk. You can also search for past planning applications online.
