Bernard J. Durkan
Question:16 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has satisfied himself regarding the competitiveness of the Irish tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19769/04]
View answerThursday, 1 July 2004
Questions (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Jack Wall
Question:39 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the fact that continuing price rises across many sectors of the tourism industry serve as a deterrent to visitors coming here; his further views on the rise in the price of a pint, in view of the potential negative implications for the hospitality industry here; if he will raise the possibility of introducing price controls in the drinks trade with the Department of Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19734/04]
View answerBernard J. Durkan
Question:80 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he can, directly or through bodies or agencies under his direction, take steps to ensure that the tourism industry here remains competitive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19910/04]
View answerBernard J. Durkan
Question:81 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has satisfied himself regarding the competitiveness of the tourism industry with particular reference to the ability to compete with other tourism locations throughout the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19911/04]
View answerBernard J. Durkan
Question:82 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has taken steps, directly or indirectly, to maintain the competitiveness of the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19912/04]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 39, 80, 81 and 82 together.
As I have indicated many times since my appointment as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, I share the concern of most people involved in the tourism industry regarding the decreasing levels of satisfaction, evident in visitor attitude surveys, about the value for money offered by the overall tourism experience in Ireland. One of the strongest messages from the tourism policy review group was that restoring competitiveness is the major challenge facing the tourism sector and that the industry itself must offer better value to its customers if it is to maximise the opportunities for future growth.
The review group confirmed that there is no immediate, single or easy solution to addressing concerns about competitiveness and listed some ten specific actions that require responses from both the private and public sectors. Its recommendations covered a broad range of actions and included proposals in regard to taking responsibility for restoring competitiveness, inflation, benchmarking, customer relationship management, management capability, high standards for competitive advantage and training.
My role is to work, in so far as it lies within my power, towards ensuring a coherent action plan is implemented quickly and effectively. To this end, I have established the high level implementation group to advise and assist in driving forward and monitoring the recommended actions set out in the report. The first report of the implementation group is due in August and we will have to await that report before we can assess the impact of the action plan on competitiveness and value for money.
I made my views on the drink prices issue quite clear in a public statement on 26 May in which I called on brewers and the licensed trade to seriously consider the potential negative impacts of proceeding with drink prices which would only exacerbate our existing competitive disadvantage in this area. While the issue of price control is a matter for the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, at this juncture I would not be in favour of going back down the road of price controls. Public debate and consumer pressure may be a more efficacious way of dealing with this type of issue.