Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the number of tourist beds on St Helena; what progress has been made in this regard since the decision to build an airport on the island was made in 2010; and what incentives they are offering to encourage inward investors to provide tourist facilities on the island.

The Department for International Development supports Enterprise St Helena (ESH), the St Helena Government’s development agency. Enterprise St Helena offers grants to assist local businesses with proposals to increase the quantity and quality of tourist accommodation. Fifteen new serviced rooms have been added since 2010, with an additional 38 serviced rooms planned for construction between 2015 and 2016. The Saint Helena Government has introduced a range of tax incentives for investors, including tax credits, rollover reliefs and accelerated depreciation.