Overseas tourists visiting the north from the Republic won't get an exemption to the British government's new travel authorisation, Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker has confirmed.
The planned policy has been criticised for its "one size fits all approach" and its failure to recognise Ireland's "unique circumstances".
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar raised concerns in March about the implications of the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) on the tourist trade.
Tory Tim Loughton raised concerns at Westminster on Wednesday about the potential ramifications of granting an exemption for tourists.
The former minister argued that exemptions would undermine the "integrity of the whole" ETA scheme, which is similar to the visa waiver system used in the US.
It will see short-term non-visa visitors to Britain and Northern Ireland applying for an ETA and providing biometric data.
Mr Loughton asked his party colleague whether he acknowledged that if an exemption to the scheme was granted for tourists from the Republic, or people claiming to be tourists, it would "undermine the integrity of the whole scheme".
In response, Mr Baker stressed that the British government does not intend to grant such an exemption and expressed his hope for developing a "consistent and coherent" communication strategy to ensure tourists know about their obligations.
"He is right, and that is the government's policy, however, we have engaged closely with not only the tourism sector, but also our friends in the Irish government on this issue," the NIO minister said.
"And I hope that we will be able to work together to ensure that there is a consistent and coherent communication strategy to ensure that tourists know that they must register for an ETA, that they must continue to comply with the UK's immigration requirements."
Irish citizens will not need an ETA to travel across the border as they already have guaranteed free movement under the terms of the Common Travel Area.
The scheme as originally set out would have meant non-Irish EU citizens and other international passport holders, including those living permanently south of the border, would have had to apply for the visa waiver.
Earlier this year, the British government updated its plans and confirmed that non-Irish citizens living legally in the state will not need a waiver.
Alliance MP Stephen Farry said the British government was treating tourist movements on the island of Ireland the same as tourist entry into the UK from the rest of the world.
"The one size fits all approach makes no sense and doesn't recognise unique circumstances in Ireland, including the joint marketing of both parts of Ireland arising from the Good Friday Agreement and that most international visitors to Northern Ireland land in Dublin," the North Down MP said.
"The additional bureaucracy including the need for biometrics will be a deterrent to some visitors."
The Alliance deputy leader said he would continue to "fight for some flexibility for tourist movements on the island".
"There has already been an exemption for non visa third country permanent residents in Ireland – similar discretion should be applied to tourists," he said.
