Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 1996

Vol. 462 No. 2

Written Answers. - Tourism Marketing Initiative.

Denis Foley

Question:

35 Mr. Foley asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he has satisfied himself with the marketing campaign aimed at increasing tourism from the USA; the total expenditure in marketing in each of the years from 1993 to 1995; and the actual number of visitors in each of the years from 1993 to 1995. [2224/96]

Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. E. Kenny)

The marketing campaign in the US to which the Deputy refers was established in 1994 under the title of the US Marketing Initiative — USMI — and continued in 1995 when it was also extended to cover a number of other key markets.

This campaign has proved to be most effective in contributing to an increase of 19 per cent in US visitors to Ireland in 1994, and a further increase of 31 per cent in 1995.

In 1994 expenditure on marketing by the USMI was £3 million. An overall fund of £6.3 million was allocated to the marketing initiative in 1995, of which £2.2 million was earmarked for the US market.

Visitors from the US rose from 377,000 in 1993 to 449,000 in 1994 to a new record of 587,000 in 1995.