The Tourism (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

The statutory categories of tourist establishment

12.—(1) For the purposes of this Part there shall be the following categories of tourist establishment, namely—

(a)hotels;

(b)guest houses;

(c)bed and breakfast establishments;

(d)self-catering establishments; and

(e)hostels.

(2) The Department may by order made subject to affirmative resolution amend paragraph (1) as for the time being in force by—

(a)adding any category of tourist establishment to the list in that paragraph;

(b)deleting any category of tourist establishment from that list;

(c)amending any category of tourist establishment in that list.

(3) An order under paragraph (2) may make such amendments to the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1990(1) as appear to the Department to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the provisions of the order.

(4) A category of tourist establishment for the time being listed in paragraph (1) is referred to in this Part as a “statutory category”.

(5) The Department shall, after consultation with the Board, by regulations prescribe, in relation to each statutory category of tourist establishment, the criteria to be met by an establishment to be eligible for allocation under this Part to that statutory category.

(6) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (5), the criteria to be met by an establishment to be eligible for allocation under this Part to a particular statutory category of tourist establishment may be prescribed under that paragraph by reference to—

(a)the general nature and character of the establishment;

(b)the nature, extent and standard of accommodation and services provided in the establishment; and

(c)such other matters as the Department thinks appropriate in relation to that statutory category.

(7) Different criteria may be prescribed under paragraph (5) in relation to different prescribed classes of establishment within a particular statutory category of tourist accommodation; and, in such a case, references in this Part to an establishment meeting the criteria prescribed under paragraph (5) in relation to a statutory category shall be construed as references to an establishment meeting the criteria prescribed under that paragraph in relation to the prescribed class of establishment within that statutory category to which that establishment belongs.