asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether his Department have any estimate of the number of tourists who visited this country last year; whether there has been a decline in the number of visitors compared with former years; and, if so, what proposals the Government have about this important sector of our economy.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourist Trade.
15.
An annual estimate of tourist traffic and revenue is compiled by the Central Statistics Office. The 1970 estimate is not yet available. A provisional estimate prepared by Bord Fáilte shows that the number of tourists who visited this country last year for a stay of more than one day was 1,950,000, a slight increase on the 1969 figure. The board estimated that there was a decline of about 600,000 in the number of day trippers from Northern Ireland. This decline, which commenced in 1969, is attributable to the disturbances in the North.
Bord Fáilte carried out a special additional marketing campaign earlier this year at a cost of £395,000 in our main tourist markets with the object of expanding traffic during the 1971 season. The total grant-in-aid to Bord Fáilte has been increased to £6,230,000 for the current year, that is, £680,000 more than the 1970-71 provision. These funds will be used by Bord Fáilte in the implementation of their various programmes and activities with the overall aim of attracting additional tourist traffic and increasing tourist revenue.
Would the Minister not agree that the instability which we have experienced here, the unstable state of affairs we have had in regard to our Government—Government Ministers bringing in arms, et cetera—have kept many people from visiting this country and that this has done untold harm to the tourist industry in the last year?
The Deputy is now causing untold harm by this sort of mischievous question.
The people who started it were the people who brought in arms.
That sort of mischievous comment just does not help.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 16.
The Minister jumps from one side of the pool to the other and it is no trouble to him. We did not bring in arms.
Does the increase take into account inflation and the decreased value of money?
What I was referring to there was the increased grant-in-aid and it more than takes that into account. In fact it is designed to ensure that substantially increased funds will be spent by Bord Fáilte in the current year on marketing and promotion abroad.
If that is the case how is it that Bord Fáilte were not able to get out their holiday brochure until February when it should have been out in the previous July or October?
That will not happen again.
Why did it happen? It is a disgrace.
I answered that question on a previous occasion.
Question No. 16.
(Cavan): Would the Minister not agree that the delay in getting out the brochure in February, instead of three or four months earlier, is bound to have a very serious effect on marketing?
No, the brochure has nothing to do with marketing.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 16. I have called Question No. 16.
Is it true that we are 12 months behind other countries?
We will have it out in December for next year.
(Interruptions.)
You will be number one on my list anyway.
No problem, no crisis.
16.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, during his recent visit to the United States, he investigated the prospects of tourist traffic to Ireland in 1971; and, is so, if he will indicate what the prospects are likely to be.
I am informed by Bord Fáilte that the general outlook for tourist traffic prospects from North America in 1971 is good. The latest market intelligence from carriers and tour operators suggests that bookings for the early summer are up between 10 per cent and 15 per cent and, with the development of a late booking trend, carriers are hopeful that it will be a good season. This is similar to the views of the tourist interests with whom I had discussions in New York on the occasion of my recent visit there.
Is that 10 per cent an increase in money or in the numbers of people?
It is in the volume of people coming here.
Is the Minister sure that it is people?
The Deputy will appreciate that at this stage we cannot say what money the people are going to spend.
You can on bookings. You can make an estimate on bookings. Why can you not do that?
What is this booking trend to which the Minister referred?
People are not booking in advance to the same extent as they used to. They are tending to make their bookings more approximately to the time of their departure.
Is this happening in all countries or only here?
Thas is a separate question.
This is a worldwide trend.
Would the Minister agree that the statement which he has just made is contrary to all the evidence which the tourist organisations have produced so far?
It is not contrary. These are the views which have been furnished to me by the carrier companies, the tour operators, the travel agencies, Bord Fáilte themselves and the National Tourism Council which is a body composed not only of representatives of Bord Fáilte but of all the other private tourist and travel interests in the country.
(Cavan): Is it not a fact that Bord Fáilte recently published a statement to the effect that this year's prospects for tourism were worse, if not much worse, than last year's prospects?
The Deputy is developing an imagination.
(Interruptions.)
17.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he is satisfied that the allocation of funds to Bord Fáilte and the regional tourism companies is adequate to enable them to provide a proper service; and if he will make a statement outlining his plans for the financing of these bodies over the next 12 months.
The total grant-in-aid for Bord Fáilte in the current financial year is £6,230,000, an increase of £680,000 on the allocation for 1970-71. Having regard to the many pressing demands on the Exchequer, I am satisfied that the funds allocated for tourist development are the maximum that can be provided at this time and that Bord Fáilte will make the best possible use of these funds in the interests of tourism.
As regards the financing of the regional tourism companies, it is a matter for Bord Fáilte to determine the level of funds to be made available to those companies out of the board's grant-in-aid. I am informed by Bord Fáilte that they propose to provide £374,000 for the regional companies in the current year, compared with £309,000 in 1970-71. The remainder of the companies' finances depend on the scale of local authority and membership contributions and the extent of the support of the business community.
(Cavan): Is the Minister aware that the regional boards are drastically cutting down their services, particularly their information services, in towns which are adjacent to the land frontier where one would normally expect tourists to enter the country? Would the Minister not agree that that is a foolish step?
I would like to get more precise information from the Deputy. My information is that the boards are not cutting down on information or marketing services.
(Cavan): Would the Minister be good enough to make inquiries regarding information services being provided at Clones, Blacklion, Belturbet and Cavan? The Minister will find that the situation at Cavan has not been interfered with, but that the position in other towns has been drastically interfered with.
Would the Minister not agree that with the inflation rate of 8 per cent last year the very modest increase which has been given is totally inadequate this year?
I mentioned an increase of £700,000 on £6 million.
(Interruptions.)
What percentage increase is that?
It is an increase of £700,000 on £6 million.
Questions Nos. 18, 19 and 20 postponed.