Micheál Martin
Question:27 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the plans, if any, he has in relation to the United States Tourism Marketing Initiative that has been successfully run for the last two years. [8388/95]
Written Answers. - US Tourism Marketing Initiative.
David Andrews
Question:55 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will give details of the US marketing initiative that has characterised the last two years' tourist marketing efforts in the US. [8432/95]
David Andrews
Question:65 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will inform Dáil Éireann of his plans in relation to the US Tourism Marketing Initiative that has been successfully run for the last two years. [8464/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 55 and 65 together.
The US Marketing Initiative (USMI) was an innovative marketing partnership between the Government and the tourism industry designed to attract additional US holiday visitors to Ireland in 1994. It involved a £3 million consumer advertising campaign co-funded by the Exchequer, the European Union and the tourism industry. This year's Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative (OTMI) represents a further development and expansion of the partnership concept pioneered in the USMI and a £6.3 million campaign is currently underway aimed at increasing tourist numbers and revenue from our four most important markets — the US, Britain, Germany and France.
The US Marketing Initiative was, indeed, extremely successful. Subject to the publication of the final figures for the US in 1994, it is estimated that an increase of some 21 per cent in US holiday visitors was achieved by Ireland as opposed to the average 8 per cent growth enjoyed by our competitors. Ireland also reversed its decline in market share for the first time in eight years and research has shown that the proportion of would-be US vacationers to Europe selecting Ireland as a first-choice destination increased significantly from 7 per cent to 11 per cent. I am confident that this year's initiative will prove to be equally successful and that significant new holiday business will be attracted to all parts of the island.
An exciting development this year has been the involvement of the Northern Ireland tourism industry. For the first time ever all the tourism interests on the island have come together in a large-scale programme to market Ireland as a single destination.
The results achieved to date clearly demonstrate the merits of partnership between Government and industry in the promotion of Irish tourism overseas. The precise details of any future initiatives will obviously be a matter for discussion between Government, the two tourist boards and the industry on both sides of the Border, but it is certainly my intention that this type of industryled initiative should continue in 1996 and beyond.