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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Oct 1970

Vol. 249 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourist Industry.

46.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power what estimate has been made of tourist revenue this year; and how bookings compared with last year.

47.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will give a report on the performance of the tourist industry between 1st June, 1970, and the 30th September, 1970.

48.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will make a statement about the out-turn of the current tourist season.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 47 and 48 together.

Official figures in relation to tourism are compiled by the Central Statistics Office, who publish an annual estimate of tourism income. The figure for 1970 will not be available until well into next year but Bord Fáilte have told me that, on a rough estimate based on such information as is available, they expect that tourist revenue this year should reach £100 million.

The Central Statistics Office do not compile tourism figures on a monthly basis and figures for individual months are not accordingly available. For the nine months January to September the board estimate that there was an increase of 0.9 per cent over the 1969 figure. These figures exclude visitors from Northern Ireland as it is not possible at this stage to make an estimate for traffic from that area.

That is for the nine months?

andMr. Cooney asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the projected outcome of this year's tourist season, he is satisfied that Bord Fáilte, as at present organised, is fully capable of meeting its responsibilities; and, if not, what action he proposes to take in view of the importance of the tourist industry to the economy.

50.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he has undertaken the full scale review of Bord Fáilte which he announced in July; and, if so, if he will now make a statement outlining what reorganisation and/or innovations are contemplated.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.

A preliminary estimate by Bord Fáilte indicates that tourist revenue in 1970 should amount to about £100 million, which would represent an increase on the 1969 figure. Bearing in mind the many adverse external factors experienced by the tourist industry during the past year and over which neither the industry nor Bord Fáilte had any control, the achievement of this income figure is not unsatisfactory.

As Deputies are aware, I had consultations in July with the board of Bord Fáilte in the light of the information then available about tourist revenue for 1970 and I requested them to carry out an appraisal of the board's policies and activities with a view to ascertaining whether any changes were necessary. In the same month I met the Irish Hotels Federation and asked them to submit to me their views on the problems facing tourism. Both organisations have submitted reports to me and these are being examined in my Department.

Apart from this review certain changes have been made in the Bord Fáilte organisation. During the summer recess I appointed two additional members to the board of Bord Fáilte to enlarge the expertise and experience available at that level. In addition, Bord Fáilte have made certain changes in their management structure so that they may carry out their operations more effectively. As a further development, the National Tourism Council, which will be formally inaugurated this week, will provide a forum for exchange between the various tourism interests, both public and private, and will serve to improve lines of communication within the Industry.

I am satisfied on the basis of the excellent record of Bord Fáilte over the past decade that, with the changes and other measures I have mentioned, the board are fully capable of meeting their responsibilities and of providing the drive which is necessary to maintain the continued expansion of tourism. The board's programmes and activities are of course reviewed regularly and any further adjustments to policies or activities that may become necessary in the light of changing tourism needs will of course be undertaken.

Would the Minister say if the board are going to be provided with additional money for marketing promotion?

This is the season in which to carry out promotional work and if we wait until the Minister's review has been completed it will be too late to have this promotional work carried out for 1971. Further, can the Minister state if the marketing section of the board is fully equipped and has adequate finances to carry out promotional work abroad for 1971?

Additional finance will be made available to them.

51.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power the outlook for the Irish tourist industry over the next 12 months.

52.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether Bord Fáilte propose to intensify their marketing, promotional and publicity campaigns; and, if so, if he will give details.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 52 together. As I stated in reply to earlier questions, I have had consultations with Bord Fáilte Éireann and the Irish Hotels Federation about the tourist industry, with particular reference to the 1971 season, and I am studying reports which I have received from those bodies along with views submitted to me by various other interests. I have also referred in earlier replies to the various other measures taken in recent months.

In the light of these measures, consideration is now being given to the tourist programmes to be pursued for 1971 and, within the general context of the overall financial position, to the allocation of increased funds for tourism for the coming year. At the same time Bord Fáilte have been preparing an intensified marketing, promotional and publicity campaign with the object of increasing traffic. I would consider, however, that at this stage because of the many incalculable factors involved it would be much too early at this stage to make any informed forecast in regard to the 1971 season.

53.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will indicate the implications for the Irish tourist industry of the new increases in air fares; and what steps, if any, are planned to counteract any adverse effects.

The increases in air fares are part of a general increase in air fares in the European and other areas which have been settled through the fare negotiating machinery of the International Air Transport Association to meet growing airline costs.

In settling the new fares, the tourism interest has been taken into account. The level of the new Aer Lingus fares, despite the higher Aer Lingus unit costs attributable to the short-haul nature of their routes, is still substantially lower than those which apply in comparable European sectors. Moreover, the fare increases are linked with fare changes designed to improve the traffic development aspects of the fares structure particularly in the area of special relevance to tourism, namely, the inclusive tour and group travel area.

Surely the Minister will agree that the new increases in cross-Channel air fares that will come into operation on 1st November are outrageously high? I should like to ask the Minister if there is any evidence to sustain the claim he made in his reply that the air fare structure between Britain and Ireland compares with European rates? I respectfully submit that this is not so. This further increase definitely will have serious repercussions on the tourist industry and will hit the Irish man and woman working in Britain who wishes to come home on holiday. Already, they are being exploited by the airlines because they cannot qualify for cheap charter fares. I understand the Minister has certain powers or authority in this matter of air fares. Perhaps he would undertake to examine the whole fare structure? It is full of anomalies and it hits especially Irish people in Britain who wish to come home on holiday.

It is complicated by virtue of our membership of IATA.

A return fare of £35 from London to Shannon is outrageous.

There is an international obligation in regard to fares and rates. When decisions are made by the IATA we must accord with the decisions. The recent increases are side by side with equivalent increases involving every scheduled airline in the world. The basic position is that our fares are still substantially lower than corresponding rates of every British and European airline. The increases are only increases which are applicable across the board to all scheduled airlines in the world who are members of the IATA. We are examining a policy of liberalisation in regard to charters.

The important point I was trying to make was that in view of the large number of Irish people that——

We cannot have a debate on this question. It is rather a big question for Question Time.

It affects one million Irish-born people in Britain. We must be concerned about them. There is a large volume of Irish people travelling to and from Britain. There is surely a cast-iron case for concession fares within the IATA regulations. Would the Minister look at this?

I have looked at this very carefully.

Nothing has been done. How can a working man travelling from Birmingham to Shannon pay £35 return?

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