Vol. 470 No. 3
3 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade his views on whether a complete census of annual tourist numbers should be undertaken through the requirement that all travellers complete arrival and departure cards at points of entry and departure in view of the importance of the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18843/96]
As the Deputy is aware, official statistics on the number of overseas visitors to Ireland and their expenditure while in Ireland are collected and published by the Central Statistics Office. I understand that this information is compiled from sample surveys conducted continuously throughout the year at each of the major air and sea ports and covering both arriving and departing passengers. In 1995 the sample size was 394,000 passengers. There were over 13.6 million passenger movements in 1995 of which the CSO, based on its surveys, estimated that 4.2 million were visitors.
I would not be qualified to assess the relative merits of methodologies for the collation of statistical information and must be guided by the statisticians and experts in the CSO who have responsibility for such matters.
I am sure the Minister will agree that the tourism industry is of major significance to our economy and that, therefore, there is an obligation on those charged with promoting tourism to garner as much accurate information as possible on that industry. Tourist figures are valuable information from the point of view of planning future policy. In view of the haphazard way in which tourist statistics are compiled, does the Minister consider it appropriate to introduce the card system mentioned in the question to ensure we have accurate figures of the number of tourists coming here. The Minister is aware of the distinction between visitors and tourists — there is a separate system of compiling those figures — but there is no accurate assessment of the number of tourists coming into the country. An attempt is made by Bord Fáilte to extrapolate the number from visitor figures, which include people on a one day visit.
In an industry as important as this it is critical that numbers of visitors and tourists are as accurate as possible. In the United States, for example, where international travellers must complete detailed questionnaires, the cost and complexity of the exercise is such that results are not available for a considerable time after the event, which does not lead to good planning or good presentation for the future.
It is better than not having any figures.
While parts of Africa and Asia continue to use a census-based approach to the compilation of visitor statistics, Malta has recently discarded such a system. The system operated by the CSO and Bord Fáilte is on a par with, if not better than, most other systems. As Ireland is an island it is much easier to determine the number of people coming here because there are no land frontiers, as is the case in Europe where people cross borders on a regular basis on their way to work, business or holidays, thereby giving inaccurate statistics. The Central Statistics Office is part of the Eurostat regime and experts in the compilation and methodology of statistics are in constant contact with a view to applying the best operational method. The system is monitored on a regular basis to ensure the statistics are accurate, which is very important for the proper development of the industry.
The Central Statistics Office carries out a country of residence survey, which is the source from which Bord Fáilte establishes tourism numbers. That survey is carried out at ports only in the Republic and account is not taken of overseas visitors who arrive and depart via Northern Ireland and spend at least one night in the Republic. If the Minister studies this matter carefully he will realise that the figures are merely intelligent estimates which are inaccurate. A requirement on all people coming into the country to fill in a travellers' arrival-departure card would result in the most accurate information possible, which would be of great benefit to the future planning of the industry. Perhaps it would take some time to extract information from such cards, but at least it would be available in the near future. Because of the extreme importance of this industry, we should seek to have the most sophisticated system of determining the number of tourists coming here as distinct from visitors and guests.
Deputy Molloy referred to the country of residence survey carried out by the Central Statistics Office in which the question asked is: "What is your country of permanent residence?". In 1995, out of a total travelling population of 13.6 million, the figure given was 394,000 passengers, 185,000 inward and 209,000 outward. The CSO also carries out a passenger card inquiry to identify expenditure by overseas visitors to Ireland and by Irish residents who travel abroad. That survey is conducted at the major sea and airports in conjunction with the country of residents survey. Based on the information on overseas visitor numbers and expenditure supplied to Bord Fáilte by the CSO, Bord Fáilte attempts to produce for publication the estimates of tourist numbers and expenditure. Bord Fáilte receives information on same day visits from sea carriers and produces an estimate of same day visits by air-based travellers on the best available information.
We project ourselves as a country of friendly, engaging people. The survey conducted by the CSO is very detailed. I doubt if the 4.7 million visitors to our country would be inclined to fill in a card as suggested by the Deputy, although I understand his point. My information is that the methodology used by the CSO as part of the Eurostat regime is as good if not better than most others. As an island, our figures are probably more accurate than those of countries with more than one land frontier.
Is the Minister satisfied with the current system of estimating the number of tourists to this country?
The statisticians and experts in the Central Statistics Office, which operates as part of the Eurostat regime, inform me that the operation currently in progress is as good if not better than that available elsewhere. Our figures for genuine tourist numbers are, therefore, more accurate.
