Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department continue to monitor the tourism sector with a view to ensuring that customers do not get overcharged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32775/22]
View answerThe Recovery Oversight Group, which has provided valuable inputs to the Government on the measures required to assist the tourism sector, reports to me on a regular basis with updates on the implementation of the recommendations set out in the Tourism Recovery Plan 2020 – 2023 and on the recovery of the sector more generally.
My officials have engaged with stakeholders such as the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, the Irish Hotels Federation and the Car Rental Council of Ireland in order to further understand the underlying issues giving rise to current challenges facing the sector and to emphasise the importance of maintaining a strong value proposition at the core of tourism. They are also working with the tourism agencies to identify potential remedial actions to ensure that promotional activity is optimally aligned with supply across the year.
As we enter the peak summer months and the tourism industry recovers, there is inevitably additional pressure on hotel capacity and pricing. The initial recovery phase has been unpredictable and the speed and pace of the return of tourism has brought issues for all tourism businesses, many of which are repeated in other markets around the world. Hotel supply in Dublin in particular has been challenged and affected by a range of factors, some of them short-term. These include deferred business from the last two years and increased demand.
Businesses are facing significant cost pressures due to inflation and other economic factors but it is important that Ireland maintains its reputation as a value for money destination.
The Tánaiste and I co-chair the Tourism and Hospitality Forum; this grouping is due to meet next week and this will offer another opportunity to discuss and address these issues.
However, neither my Department nor Fáilte Ireland have control over prices set by service providers within the tourism industry. Each operator decides on their level of charges having regard to their costs and the requirement to make an adequate return on their investment.
