LoveIOM Gift Card to be scrapped

The LoveIOM Gift Card Scheme is set to come to an end in July 2024.

Government says new card sales have ended, with all existing cardholders having a year to spend their balances.

The scheme was launched in 2021 by the Economic Strategy Board as a Covid recovery project.

It's resulted in over £220,000 being loaded onto the cards to be spent into the local economy with more than 5,400 cards sold to date.

Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston says the objective was to stimulate demand in the economy and support the hospitality sector following the pandemic, 'which the gift card platform has done successfully.'