Vol. 488 No. 7
57 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will make a statement regarding the review of Bord Fáilte (details supplied), in particular, on the view expressed in relation to the lack of trained marketers within Bord Fáilte and the need for an international marketing director, in view of the resignation in 1997 of their international marketing director. [7134/98]
In its 1994 review of Bord Fáilte, Arthur D. Little Ltd., international consultants, concluded that the board suffered from a lack of trained marketeers and had few people with recent direct industry experience. To fill skill gaps and become more closely aware of industry requirements, the consultants recommended that BFE hire a new international marketing director and introduce some new blood with recent industry experience and graduate level marketing skills.
Following acceptance by the then Government of the conclusions in the Arthur D. Little review, a new international marketing director was appointed and, as part of a general staff reorganisation, a number of new marketing professionals was recruited by Bord Fáilte.
The new team helped to oversee the development of the new tourism brand Ireland project which was launched in November 1996 and rolled out in all the main markets last year.
Bord Fáilte's international marketing director left the organisation in November, 1997 to take up a position in the private sector. By that time Tourism Brand Ireland had been fully deployed in the key markets. Bord Fáilte's marketing plans for 1998 had also been developed and are currently in full operation with the objective of building further on our past tourism successes.
Since the departure of the international marketing director, the board of Bord Fáilte has been addressing the senior management structure of the organisation. It has now formulated proposals which it has developed not just in the context of the international marketing director post but in the wider context of the changing marketplace and how Bord Fáilte can best be positioned and resourced to serve future industry needs.
Having recently had discussions with Arthur D. Little Ltd., I am at present considering the board's proposals in the context of my responsibilities under the Tourist Traffic Acts. I intend to let the board have my views shortly.
