General guidance

A summary of current restrictions for tourism and hospitality businesses can be found here.

For a summary of restrictions in place across all areas of life, please visit NI Direct’s ‘COVID-19 regulations guidance: what the restrictions mean for you’.

Tourism NI and the Department for the Economy has produced guidance called ‘Working Safely During COVID-19 in Tourism and Hospitality Businesses’. This document can be used for any business in the tourism and hospitality business as and when they are permitted to operate. It outlines ways in which you can operate your business as safely as possible during COVID-19. An update to the guidance was issued on 11th December 2020, amalgamating all previous versions.

The most up-to-date regulations can always be found at NIDirect.

This document sets out guidance on how to work safely within tourism and hospitality businesses. It takes account of practical considerations and recognises that the detailed arrangements may be different for each business. It has been prepared by the Department for the Economy, in partnership with Tourism NI and informed by the NI Tourism Recovery Working Group, the Public Health Agency (PHA), the Health and Safety Executive NI (HSENI) and key Executive Departments, and has been shared with trade unions.

This guidance should be considered and applied in line with:

• The Northern Ireland Executive’s Pathway out of Restrictions; 
• Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.
• Business Closures and Restrictions in Northern Ireland

Businesses must adhere to the re-opening dates and restrictions relating to each part of their business. They should also take into consideration restrictions that may apply to its customer base.

The guidance provides key considerations that each business will need to translate into specific actions for its own unique circumstances. A site-by-site approach is essential and the risk assessment will differ for every business.

Each one of us must play our part in tackling the pandemic and there is an onus on individuals to operate responsibly, in line with the latest public health guidance. Owners are responsible for the conduct of their businesses and should consider how they communicate with both their staff and customers in this regard.

For further information, please contact our Helpline via our online form available here or call us on 028 9592 5313, lines open Monday to Friday 10am-1pm.

If you are calling outside these times, please leave a message or email and one of our team will contact you as soon as possible.

Other key links include:

NI Direct: Coronavirus (COVID-19):
www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19

Coronavirus: Workplace safety guidance and priority sector list:
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-workplace-safety-guidelinesand-social-distancing

COVID-19: What you need to do
www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Support for businesses and employers during coronavirus (COVID-19)
www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

General guidance for employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-and-support-for-employees-duringcoronavirus-covid-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer air travel guidance for passengers:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-air-travel-guidance-for-passengers

Sectoral Guidance:

COVID-19: Working Through This Together - A Practical Guide To Making Workplaces Safer:
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/sites/default/files/Covid-19-Working-Through-This-Together.pdf

UNWTO, Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism
https://webunwto.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2020-05/UNWTOGlobal-Guidelines-to-Restart-Tourism.pdf