Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
294. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the degree to which she has considered a programme to encourage renewed interest in Ireland for foreign tourists as soon as it becomes possible after the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11853/21]
View answerTourism is one of Ireland’s most important industries. It is estimated that the sector as a whole contributed over €9 billion to the economy in 2019 and supported approximately 260,000 jobs. The impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism globally has been overwhelming, with unprecedented and extremely serious consequences for Ireland’s tourism and hospitality sector since spring 2020.
As we saw last summer, there is a significant demand for tourism when public health conditions allow it. However, a significant part of the tourism economy is based on overseas visitors (with almost 75% of the revenue generated by tourism coming from overseas visitors) and until we can safely allow overseas visitors to enter the country, it will be difficult for the sector to recover.
Tourism Ireland have been actively working behind the scenes to keep Ireland front and centre in the minds of potential travellers and at the appropriate time they will launch an extensive global recovery kick-start programme. When the time comes to actively promote Ireland abroad as a travel destination, Tourism Ireland will enter a market that will be extremely competitive. I have ensured that the agency is adequately resourced to carry this out and I am aware that plans are in place ready to be implemented. I am confident that Tourism Ireland will be fully prepared for this challenging task.
