Robert Molloy
Question:186 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the steps, if any, he is taking to promote Ireland in the Southern States of America as a tourist destination. [5854/95]
Written Answers. - Tourism Promotion.
The Southern States of the United States have been designated by Bord Fáilte as a developing market for strategic marketing purposes. A full-time Bord Fáilte executive is based in Atlanta and covers the Southern States with particular responsibility for the areas serviced by Delta Airlines.
The national marketing campaigns undertaken by Bord Fáilte and the overseas tourism marketing initiative include the targeting of potential tourists in the Southern States. A significant element of the promotional budget is devoted to advertising in both national newspapers and magazines which are circulated in these states and also in regional publications and daily newspapers in Dallas and Houston. In addition the overseas tourism marketing initiative advertising on national cable TV stations reaches all cable subscribers in the south.
Trade promotions involving the Irish tourism industry and US tour operators have taken place in major cities throughout the south over the past two years with a special focus on Texas, which is seen as the market with the greatest potential for growth. Besides fulfilling requests from these states for brochures and other information on Ireland, Bord Fáilte has distributed over 200,000 copies of its main brochure to targeted regions of the south in 1994 and 1995.
The Southern US States will also be extensively covered by the British Airways holiday programme which I launched last week in the US. This programme, in conjunction with Bord Fáilte and CIE Tours, will be promoted to 32,000 travel agents and directly to 750,000 consumers throughout the US. British Airways will be selling holidays to Ireland on its seven direct services to London and many code sharing services with US Air from the Southern US.