Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 5

Written Answers. - Tourism Promotion.

Denis Naughten

Question:

151 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the plans, if any, he has to radically improve performance of tourism in rural areas, particularly the midland and western regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

While growth in tourism in the past ten years has been unprecedented – visitor numbers to Ireland have doubled to 5.7 million and foreign exchange earnings have tripled to £2.3 billion – there is still scope for further expansion in tourism revenue and employment in all regions, including the midland and western regions.

My strategy for tourism development under the national development plan will be based on the needs of areas, having regard to whether an area is a developed, developing or undeveloped tourism area. The key national objective for tourism product development will be to provide an appropriate product base capable of supporting sus tainable tourism development through enhancing or building up an interesting mix of tourism products, especially in developing and still underdeveloped tourist areas.

In relation to past investment in these two particular regions, it should be noted that the total investment under the Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-99, was, up to the end of 1998, close to £100 million and that this was further supplemented by other support mechanisms which have a role in tourism development, such as Leader and county enterprise boards, funded under the LURD Programme, 1994-99.