Billy Timmins
Question:6 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the top ten tourist attractions for each of the years from 1996-8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7416/99]
Other Questions. - Tourism Industry.
According to Bord Fáilte's last survey of visits to tourism attractions, carried out in 1996 and published in Perspectives on Irish Tourism – Visits to Tourists Attractions, the top ten tourist attractions for that year were: The National Gallery of Ireland, the Book of Kells, Dublin Zoo, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, the National Museum of Ireland, the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Guinness Hopstore, Muckross House and Gardens and Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre. I understand the board is planning to undertake a comprehensive survey of visits to tourism attractions shortly which will include information for 1997 and 1998.
According to the latest figures from Bord Fáilte, the revenue created by overseas visitors by county indicate a great disparity. Setting aside Counties Dublin, Cork and Galway, south Kerry would be in fourth place at £111 million. This slides downwards to the bottom of the scale, which is west Offaly at £4 million. It appears tourists are drawn to centres of attraction. If the same disparity in results arose in job creation or in any other economic area there would be an outcry. While the lakes of Killarney cannot be moved to west Offaly, would the Minister agree to look at the counties that do not benefit to the same extent as others with a view to identifying a location or project in them which may become a focal point for visitors?
I agree with the Deputy. The words US citizens most frequently use when asked about Ireland are Dublin, Waterford Crystal, Killarney and Connemara. I have been trying to create a better regional spread in tourism. In this regard I am banking on the Good Friday Agreement. We must all insist on letting it be known that there is peace on this island because we must overcome the tendency of the likes of CNN only to report negative messages from Northern Ireland. This is why so many Ministers are travelling the world for Saint Patrick's Day. We are promoting the benefits of the Agreement to encourage people to travel here.
I hope we will be able to obtain more EU funding for product development in a bid to get visitors to stop in the areas referred to by the Deputy. Outstanding areas have not yet been profiled or promoted. We know about the lakes of Killarney, Kilkenny Castle, etc. However, if we can persuade tourists to visit the unexplored areas they will act as ambassadors and will ensure they are known more widely. That requires more money for marketing, which is what I am trying to do, especially for Europe.