Written Answers. - Tourism Industry.
Ivor Callely
Question:
535
Mr. Callely
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
the number of United States tourists who visited Ireland in 2001; the comparative figures for 2000 and 1999; if new markets have been targeted for the 2002 season; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7962/02]
Gerry Reynolds
Question:
538
Mr. G. Reynolds
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
the expected number of visitors in 2002; the countries of origin of such visitors; the countries which have been targeted for their potential to provide increased number of visitors here as a whole and for the north west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8208/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 538 together.
CSO figures indicate that the total number of visitors from the USA and Canada during 2000 was 1,047,000, an increase of 11% on the 1999 figure of 943,000. The most recent CSO figures cover only the first nine months of 2001 and indicate that the number of visitors to Ireland from the USA and Canada in that period dropped by 9.8% on the same period in 2000 from 850,000 to 767,000. The comparable figure for 1999 was 776,000.
Official CSO statistics for the year 2001 as a whole will not be available for some months. However, Bord Fáilte estimates the number of overseas visitors to Ireland has declined by about 7% in 2001 to 5.8 million visitors. The board expects the number of visitors to Ireland from the USA and Canada for 2001 as a whole to come in at around 915,000.
There is little doubt but that 2002 will be a challenging year for Irish tourism. Tourism Ireland Limited is projecting a best case scenario for 2002 of a return to 2000 business levels, generally regarded as an excellent year for Irish tourism. This equates to an increase in the number of British visitors of 10%, growth of at least 6% in visitor numbers from mainland Europe and a minimisation of any further loss of traffic from North America. Following consultation with industry interests, Tourism Ireland Limited and Bord Fáilte have recently launched comprehensive marketing plans for 2002 designed to address the new market situation. Tourism Ireland's programme budget of €27 million for 2002 for the international marketing of the island of Ireland is the largest ever annual budget allocated for such a purpose and is supplemented by substantial niche-product marketing funding by Bord Fáilte, which was further enhanced by an additional allocation of €11 million to Bord Fáilte for this purpose in the recent budget.
Tourism Ireland has already launched a new and exciting TV and print international advertising campaign for the island of Ireland, developed at a cost of approximately €5 million. The com pany's marketing plans for 2002 are responsive and flexible in nature, with an emphasis on tactical marketing and on co-operative initiatives with product providers, distribution trade and carriers, to take account of the changing circumstances arising from the events of 11 September.
The focus on Britain, our nearest and largest market, will be particularly strong. They see a particular opportunity in the short break and additional holiday markets as Ireland is well positioned as a destination that is easily accessible by sea, particularly for the own car segment. Tourism Ireland is also targeting a revival of the holiday market from continental Europe during 2002 through prioritising geographic markets, by selectively encouraging and supporting new access gateways and routes into Ireland, and by getting an increased number of operators to feature Ireland in their promotional activities. Bord Fáilte, which will be operating in partnership with Tourism Ireland, has also recently launched its own complimentary programme of activities for 2002, which it will be undertaking on behalf of and in partnership with the industry. This will include an extensive promotion campaign in the Ireland market – both North and South – particularly from February to May and September to November, to encourage season extension; assisting industry with the packaging and marketing, through Tourism Ireland's overseas office network, of niche and specialist products such as golf, angling, heritage, walking-cycling, equestrian, watersports, conference and English as a foreign language; implementing the sports tourism initiative which is designed to win major international sporting events for Ireland into the future, and utilising the promotional opportunities arising from the positive media coverage associated with such events being in Ireland. During 2002 these will include the world cross country championships, the Smurfit European Open, the American Express World Championships, and the ITU Triathlon World Cup Series; developing guidelines and implementing the recent Government initiative to expand regional tourism though festivals and cultural events; and providing a promotional platform for media and journalist visits from the various markets.
Bord Fáilte has had extensive consultation, including a number of meetings of the Tourism Marketing Partnership, courtesy of representatives of the Industry, Bord Fáilte and Tourism Ireland, in the drawing up of these plans.
Regarding the regional impact of these activities I recognise that, while all regions will benefit from the activities I have outlined above, there have, in the past, been some variations in performance. It has been one of my top priorities to facilitate a more balanced regional spread of tourism revenue and for this reason, following State aids approval by the European Commission, I was pleased to launch the new tourism product development scheme in January. This will be administered by Bord Fáilte and involves some €130 million of public sector funding under the BMW and southern and eastern regional operational programmes of the national development plan.
The overall objective of this scheme is the development of the tourism product in a sustainable way, that widens the spatial spread of tourism, diverts pressure from highly-developed areas and increases the under-performing regions' share of overseas tourism revenue. The scheme includes three categories as follows: the development of major attractors and clusters of attractors; the development of special interest pursuits; and tourism environmental management. The first two of these categories are targeted specifically at regions that are currently under-performing in terms of tourism development, and are designed to help such regions to achieve their tourism potential. The successful realisation of the measures is however dependent on, and directly related to, the delivery by relevant local and other authorities of the necessary infrastructure, facilities and controls.
