Vol. 435 No. 2
23 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the way in which he intends to use the next allocation of Structural Funds from 1994-1999 to reduce seasonality and encourage more tourists to come to Ireland during the shoulder season and the off-season.
35 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the way in which he intends to use the next allocation of Structural Funds from 1994-1999 to reduce seasonality and encourage more tourists to come to Ireland during the shoulder season and the off-season.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 35 together.
The National Development Plan, 1994-1999, indicates that the Government plans to secure a significant improvement in the seasonality profile of Irish tourism. The Government's target is that by 1999, two-thirds of visitors to Ireland will holiday here outside the peak July to September period, compared to 60 per cent at present.
The next round of EC Structural Funds will focus investment in areas which will contribute to meeting the Government's seasonality objectives. Product investment proposals such as tourism angling measures and the development of the National Conference Centre are planned as these can yield year-round tourism business which will assist in improving the industry's present seasonality profile.
The National Development Plan also provides for substantially increased investment in marketing Irish tourism. It is planned in this context that special provision will be made for the marketing of Ireland as a tourism destination in the off-peak periods. Support will, inter alia, be directed at the marketing of tourism products, such as angling, golf, conferences, etc., which are weather-independent tourism products and can therefore contribute to increasing the number of off-season visitors.
