Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 2

Written Answers - Tourism Promotion.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

427 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the key tourism markets he intends to visit to counteract the impact of the foot and mouth crisis; when these visits will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14002/01]

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

As part of Bord Fáilte's major marketing reassurance programme to tackle the adverse effects of the foot and mouth crisis on the tourism industry, I visited the United States in April where I undertook 30 one-on-one interviews with representatives of the television, radio and print media. While there, I also attended a number of trade and media events and held three meetings with the tourism trade. My six television appearances included CNN Daybreak News, Fox News and KTLA, the number one rated talk show in L.A. with an audience of 8.5 million viewers in Southern California. My 18 interviews with the print media included Associated Press and the top newspapers in each market – Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and New York Times– with a combined circulation of 4.5 million.

As part of the reassurance programme, Bord Fáilte is engaged in a wide series of promotional activities in Britain. Its plans include promotional functions in a number of cities in the UK, including London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow. Bord Fáilte also has a major programme of additional activity under way in key continental European markets and is considering high profile trade and media events in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Plans for my participation at certain of these events, as appropriate, are still being finalised by Bord Fáilte.