People of Omagh and the surrounding areas have been encouraged to use their £100 High Street Vouchers in local businesses.
Bronagh Gormley of the Omagh Chamber of Commerce in the Co Tyrone town has said it is important for local residents and businesses to work together.
The scheme opened on Monday morning and will see every adult in Northern Ireland being given £100 to spend on their local high street.
“It’s important to try and spend our vouchers locally, over the last year and few months if it’s taught us anything it’s that we are stronger together,” Bronagh told MyTyrone.
“If we continue to help and support each other, I think we can come out the other side stronger.
“We need to give back to those businesses - some of them have been operating under really difficult circumstances, and some of them haven’t been able to open at all.
“Any way that we can help our local businesses we would ask local people to support.
“Since opening up we’ve been really lucky in that our local people have been supporting local businesses.
“Our retailers are making sure that everything is in place so that people can shop safely, and that puts people at ease."
Bronagh added that the Chamber offices have been busy with calls from local people seeking information about the scheme.
“We’ve had quite a few calls from people asking where can we spend the vouchers in our local town and who can take them, so we’ve been trying to filter that information out, to make sure everyone is aware of the process.
“In particular people have been asking about hospitality and whether you can spend it on a meal or an overnight stay, and it’s good to hear that people will be able to do that."
West Tyrone MP Orfhlaith Begley also called on the people of Co Tyrone to support their local businesses, and added that the scheme should be extended to include 16 and 17 year olds.
"The voucher is an opportunity to support our local traders, shops and businesses many of whom, supported our local communities throughout the covid19 pandemic,” she said.
"The scheme is about injecting money in to our hard pressed businesses and to assist with the economic recovery from Covid 19.
"I have continually made representations to the Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons, to extend the voucher to 16 and 17 year olds.
"This age group are considered to be of working age and indeed many work in frontline services.
"I will continue to make representations to the Minister to encourage him to extend the voucher to these young people many of whom have been to the fore throughout the pandemic."
