Written Answers. - National Development Plan.
Liz McManus
Question:
31
Ms McManus
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
when the multi-annual tourism marketing fund promised in the national development plan will be in place; the total amount to be allocated; the way in which the funds will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15919/00]
Derek McDowell
Question:
38
Mr. McDowell
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
when it is expected that the arrangements for the management of the fund to promote and market Ireland internationally as a tourism destination, as envisaged in paragraphs 6.97 to 6.100 of the national development plan will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15915/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 38 together.
The national development plan, published in November 1999, included a specific allocation of £150 million for a tourism marketing sub-programme over the period 2000 to 2006. The marketing sub-programme consists of two measures, a destination marketing measure and a niche marketing measure, to be funded from Ireland's first ever multi-annual tourism marketing fund. The main focus of this fund is to finance the promotion and marketing internationally of Ireland as a tourism destination. The first annual allocation under the fund has been incorporated in my Department's year 2000 Estimates – a provision of £14.4 million under a new subhead B.11.
To give effect to the commitment in the national development plan that the new fund will incorporate a public-private partnership arrangement, I was pleased to announce in April the establishment of a new tourism marketing partnership – TMP – involving Bord Fáilte and the Irish tourism industry. I propose to circulate a copy of the press release in the Official Report. The TMP is designed to bring about a greater level of synergy between industry and State involvement in international marketing. The new partnership will allow industry and Bord Fáilte to jointly oversee planning and implementation of funding provided under the NDP for tourism marketing and so inform overall industry marketing expenditure, thereby maximising the impact of the totality of Irish tourism marketing. The TMP held its first meeting last month and will be assisted in its task by two sub-groups focusing on the key areas of international destination marketing, and niche-product marketing.
MCDaid announces new tourism marketing partnership
New body to help drive for growth in tourism earnings
The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr. James McDaid T.D., today (Wednesday 19th April, 2000) in a major development in the marketing of Irish tourism, announced details of a new Partnership involving representatives of the tourist industry, to work together with Bord Fáilte in developing complementary strategies and plans for the totality of their combined annual marketing expenditure.
The key objectives of the Partnership are:
the optimum deployment of all international tourism marketing funds through the pooling of expertise and experience of Bord Fáilte and the tourism industry;
the preparation and review of multi-annual marketing strategies linked to the achievement of the targets for tourism growth set in the National Development Plan (NDP); and
agreement on annual tourism marketing plans and programmes for approval by Bord Fáilte, with particular emphasis on how such plans/programmes could best be deployed to complement and support industry's own marketing efforts.
The ground-breaking arrangement delivers on the Government's commitment that the newly established Tourism Marketing Fund of £150m, would incorporate a public/private partnership and so ensure adequate funding for destination marketing over the period 2000-2006.
The fund is additional to the estimated £40 Million spent annually by the industry itself on marketing its products and a primary aim of the partnership will be to secure the most appropriate match between public and private expenditure. It is envisaged that the new Partnership will also be making major use, in its plans, of the soon to be revamped All-island Tourism Brand Ireland, currently being reviewed by Bord Fáilte and NITB with a view to securing the best possible profile in international tourism markets for Ireland, into the first decade of the new Millennium.
Minister McDaid has set a target for the tourism sector of 5% annual growth, which is expected to deliver annual foreign exchange earnings from tourism of £3.5 billion and 50,000 new full-time jobs by the end of the NDP.
The new partnership will have subgroups focusing on the key areas of (i) international destination marketing, and (ii) niche/product marketing.
Minister McDaid said that partnership between the tourism industry and Bord Fáilte had been well established under the very successful Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994 to 1999. He added that the industry had played an important role, in particular, through its involvement in the EU Co-funded Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative Ltd., which carried out major tourism destination marketing campaigns in Ireland's four key markets – U.S., Britain, Germany and France.
Commenting on the new structures, Minister McDaid said:
"The challenges facing the tourism sector over the next 7 years are formidable with increased international competition, a more discerning visitor and environmental and labour market pressures at home. I am looking to the partnership as a new vehicle to help address the marketing challenges involved in a spirit of mutual co-operation between the State and the industry".
"The new arrangement represents new thinking for new times and I am delighted that we now have a clear and constructive framework to promote continued growth."
The Tourism Marketing Partnership will be chaired by Mr. Redmond O'Donoghue, Chairman of Bord Fáilte and Chief Executive of Waterford Crystal, and will include nominees from the industry by the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation and senior executives of Bord Fáilte.
