Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012
659. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in addition to the plans for the 2013 Gathering, the other intitiatives and plans he has to promote tourism here over the coming years; the number of overseas visitors he expects here for the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51090/12]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, primary responsibility for promoting Ireland as a tourist destination is an operational matter for the tourism agencies. Obviously The Gathering Ireland 2013 will be the main focus for tourism promotion next year.
The Government has identified tourism as one of the key drivers of economic recovery and has set out its medium term priorities in the Programme for Government. As well as encouraging increased international access, these include prioritising the Tourism Marketing Fund, exploring the possibility of a new agreement on visitor visas with the UK, offering tourists the opportunity to visit the UK and Ireland with one visa, developing emerging long haul markets such as China, Russia, India and the Middle East, and recovery of market share in Britain. At home, priorities include improving the e-capability of our tourism product, targeting available resources at developing and co-ordinating niche tourism products and activity packages that are attractive to international visitors, including event tourism. Significant progress has been made across these areas, in the Jobs Initiative and by the agencies on the ground, and they will continue to be pursued over the next few years.
While external factors including global economic conditions impact significantly on visitor numbers to any destination, my Department's Statement of Strategy has set a target of 8 million visits to Ireland in 2015. In terms of further initiatives and plans to achieve this target, Tourism Ireland, as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas will be preparing a Corporate Plan, based on the Programmes for Government north and south, setting out its objectives and targets for the period 2014 to 2016 for approval by the North South Ministerial Council next year.
