Consultation | The Statutory Regulation of Tourist Accommodation

Public consultation to review tourist accommodation regulations in Northern Ireland

The Department for the Economy, in collaboration with Tourism NI, is inviting feedback from stakeholders, including industry representatives, accommodation providers, and the public, on proposed changes to the statutory regulation of tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland.

This includes hotels, B&Bs, self-catering establishments, and other types of visitor accommodation.

The current regulatory framework was last reviewed in 2011. Since then, the sector has evolved significantly, with changes in accommodation types and visitor expectations. 

The proposed amendments aim to modernise and strengthen minimum quality standards and statutory requirements to better reflect current industry practices and future needs.

Why your views matter

Stakeholder input will help ensure the updated regulations:

• support consistent quality across accommodation offerings
• provide clarity and flexibility to encourage innovation
• align with contemporary tourism trends and customer expectations

Responses can be submitted online via the consultation portal.

First published 17 October 2025