Séamus Hughes
Question:37 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the plans, if any, he has to encourage domestic tourism in the shoulder period and off season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21990/96]
Other Questions. - Domestic Tourism.
Denis Foley
Question:86 Mr. Foley asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the total revenue from domestic tourism in 1995; the proportion of an increase this total represents over 1994 figures; and if he will make a statement on trends in the domestic market. [22027/96]
Mr. O'Sullivan
I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 86 together.
The Domestic Tourism Marketing Initiative or DTMI, which I launched in February 1996, is specifically targeted at developing shoulder and off-season domestic tourism. At the launch I announced I had secured £500,000 towards the cost of developing a new home holiday initiative, with co-financing from the industry to encourage greater marketing of home holidays, particularly in the off peak and shoulder periods. I established a high level working group comprising representatives of the tourism industry, the relevant state tourism agencies and officials of the Department of Tourism and Trade to develop the initiative on a partnership basis.
The working group, which met on a number of occasions since February 1996, has developed an integrated national marketing programme to accelerate growth in home holidays with particular emphasis on the shoulder and off season periods. Bord Fáilte's promotional campaign is also designed to promote shoulder and off-season holidays with main advertising campaigns promoting autumn-winter, spring-early summer holiday taking. Specific campaigns, such as the "golden years" and Christmas-New Year breaks, are also targeted to generate additional spend and season extension.
The domestic tourism marketing initiative has been most concerned, in devising its programme of activities, to ensure there is no duplication between the various campaigns and that all are operated in the most efficient and effective way to promote domestic tourism throughout the year. Estimated revenue from domestic tourism last year totalled £625 million, down 7.8 per cent on the comparable figure for 1994. While the revenue from domestic holiday visits decreased by less than 2 per cent, the principal reduction in revenue was due to a decrease in business visits, visits to relatives and other visit categories during 1995.
The Minister of State will be aware that western regions are considerably more dependent on domestic tourism than regions in the east and that they have not benefited from the very substantial increases in overseas tourism. Bearing that and the worrying trend of a reduction in 1995 over 1994 in mind, has the Minister any plans to initiate a stronger campaign to ensure the domestic tourism industry shows some growth in regions where heretofore there have been tourism losses?
Mr. O'Sullivan
I regret the decline in domestic tourism has not just occurred over the last year. This is largely due to the fact that people now have more disposable income and tend to go for short foreign breaks whereas in the past they remained at home. The Deputy asked me if I have any further plans. Yesterday I attended a meeting of the domestic tourism marketing initiative board in Athlone, together with the regional officers from every region. We will relaunch the campaign for 1997 on 7 January 1997. We are very conscious of an imbalance at the moment; Dublin is a major attraction. There has been huge investment in the Dublin area and that is siphoning business from other regions, not alone the west. It is hoped the recent branding operation with the images it creates will help to address this problem. It depicts a pastoral image of this country which does not promote urbanised areas and I sincerely hope that this new initiative with the domestic tourism marketing initiative will succeed in spreading the prosperity from the growing numbers coming to our shores.
Does the Minister agree the initiative which is to begin on 7 January is likely to be far too late for the spring of next year and is unlikely to have much effect until the summer when southern and western regions probably have least need of extra business? There is a particular need for domestic business during the shoulder seasons.
Mr. O'Sullivan
We took the precaution earlier this year of ensuring that the autumn campaign would run into the spring of next year. Funds have already been provided for and we will not wait for 7 January to start off the campaign. We had a run in period from the autumn of this year to the spring of next year. Plans are already in train to cater for the Deputy's reservation. I sincerely hope they will prove successful on this occasion. We do not have the figures for this year yet and I hope we will have positive results from the very short advertising programme by the end of the year.