asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will state in respect of each of the years 1969-70, 1970-71 and 1971-72 the total amount provided in Bord Fáilte's budget for marketing operations in (a) Britain, (b) North America, (c) Europe and (d) elsewhere.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourist Industry.
16.
Mr. O'Donnell
The allocation of funds for marketing operations is a matter for Bord Fáilte to be determined in the light of the board's annual provision for administration, operational and general expenses under Subhead F.1 of the Vote for my Department. Bord Fáilte have, however, furnished the information requested by the Deputy and, as it is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Marketing expenditure by Bord Fáilte Éireann |
|||
|
Area |
1969-70 |
1970-71 |
1971-72 |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Britain |
442,820 |
427,800 |
419,300 |
|
North America |
732,684 |
606,400 |
655,223 |
|
Europe |
325,487 |
268,600 |
277,407 |
|
Elsewhere |
388,963 |
430,100 |
362,932 |
|
1,889,954 |
1,732,900 |
1,714,862 |
NOTE: The figures for 1970-71 and 1971-72 do not include the £395,000 spent on the special promotional campaign for the 1971 season.
17.
Mr. O'Donnell
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether the recent Bord Fáilte survey of the pattern of British tourist traffic to Ireland indicates any new trends which might necessitate changes in Bord Fáilte marketing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am informed by Bord Fáilte that the second and final part of the report on the board's segmentation study of British holiday makers will not be completed for a few months. The implications of the study for the board cannot be fully assessed until this part of the report becomes available.
Mr. O'Donnell
Could the Minister say whether the possibility of establishing a national travel agency to service the British market is still under consideration.
I am afraid I have no information on that.
18.
Mr. O'Donnell
asked the Minister for Transport and Power the outcome of the recent tourist workshop in London; and how it will influence this year's tourist traffic from Britain.
I am informed by Bord Fáilte that the tourist workshop held in London on 1st and 2nd June, 1971, was aimed primarily at promoting more tourist traffic from Britain in 1972. The workshop dealt with coach tour business as well as general and special interest holidays. While it is too early to assess fully the results of the workshop, I understand that the Irish participants were satisfied with the level of general tourist business transacted but that coach tour traffic did not appear to be buoyant.
Advantage was taken of the workshop to seek additional traffic for the 1971 season and some business was transacted particularly for the autumn.
Mr. O'Donnell
Why was it decided to hold this workshop in the month of June in the middle of the actual tourist season? This was ridiculous. Why was it not held earlier in the year?
I imagine it was done in conformity with the desires of the travel agents concerned. I could not give the Deputy any specific reason why it was held at this time, but I know that when travel agents are preparing their plans they require very early conferences. Holding it in June does not surprise me from my experience in dealing with this matter.
19.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will give details in terms of bed nights of the most recent figures for hotel and guesthouse booking for the present tourist season; and the maximum number of bed nights available.
I stated in reply to a previous question on the subject on 25th May, 1971, that the indications for the season were that tourist numbers for 1971 should increase as compared with 1970 by 6 per cent from Britain, 2 per cent from Europe and 12 per cent from North America. It is not possible at this stage to give more specific figures for the 1971 season.
The latest survey conducted by Bord Fáilte among hotels and guesthouses in relation to bookings for June and July indicates that about 60 per cent of the hoteliers contacted report that advance bookings for these two months are the same as or better than for the corresponding period last year. The remaining 40 per cent report bookings below last year's level. With regard to the sample of guesthouse proprietors contacted, approximately 40 per cent report bookings at the same or a higher level than last year while the balance report that bookings are down on last year.
I should emphasise in relation to these results that there is a distinct trend towards late bookings and casual bookings and that the hotel industry has, therefore, found it difficult to give an accurate assessment of advance bookings.
As regards the last part of the Deputy's question, the number of beds available per night in hotels and guesthouses during the high season is approximately 54,500.
Does the Minister not agree that an increase of 6 per cent in respect of the largest volume, 2 per cent in respect of the next volume and 12 per cent in respect of the next be-tokens a very bad tourist season? If not panic measures, certainly special measures should now be taken to try to get tourists particularly from the point of view of the feelings people abroad may have as to the peace and quiet, or otherwise, they might enjoy here.
I think Bord Fáilte are fully aware of the position. As I have said, it is quite impossible to predict. In 1969 and 1970 an organisation in Britain reported that about 70 per cent of bookings made in hotels in Ireland were on a casual basis. That shows how difficult it is to frame predictions. The Minister's reply is on the basis of information received from Bord Fáilte. The one thing we can say is that a number of hotels have reported that for June and July the position will either be the same or better and that shows an increase on what they reported in April and May. The position, therefore, may not be too bad, but I would not make any predictions at all.
Does the Minister not think that, if we have only a very small increase at this stage on the most disastrous season ever last year, there should now be international advertising to get the punchline in and get more tourists instead of having half our hotels empty in the middle of July?
I am sure Bord Fáilte are aware of the position.
What are they doing about it?
The Deputy will have to ask another question.
The Minister did not even send out the price list last year.
Mr. O'Donnell
When Bord Fáilte looked for £14,000 last April to mount a special advertising campaign in Britain the money was not provided. If the money had been provided it would have helped to counteract the adverse reaction obtaining in Britain. The Government refused to make £14,000 available then.
Large amounts were made available for Bord Fáilte, as the Deputy knows.
20.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if grants to regional tourist boards are being curtailed either by reducing the amounts actually payable or by restricting the boards from incurring deficits, which hitherto had been normal practice.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question on 11th May, 1971, in which I indicated that Bord Fáilte are providing £374,000 for the regional tourism companies in the current financial year as compared with £309,000 in 1970-71. The board have informed me that £60,000 of this year's allocation has been provided for the specific purpose of reducing the accumulated deficits of the regional companies up to 5th April, 1971. Bord Fáilte have advised the companies that the board are not prepared to assume responsibility in respect of deficits incurred after that date.
Surely the Minister is aware that when those deficits are paid off the board will have much less money to spend on tourism this year? Surely the Minister is also aware that fewer girls are being employed in tourist information offices this year than previously?
A certain amount of rationalisation was carried out in relation to the information service. I have no reason to believe from any report here that the existing number of tourist information offices was inadequate under the circumstances. I understand that a certain amount of rationalisation in relation to possible overlapping between the activities of the regional tourist boards and Bord Fáilte is being considered in relation to observations made by the National Tourist Council and it is hoped the work will be more effective. In any event, the grants in 1968-69 were £172,000 and they had £200,000 more for the coming year at £374,000. Nobody can say there has not been some measurable increase in the grants available to the tourist organisations.
Does rationalisation mean sacking those on the lowest rung of the ladder, the girls who secured employment each year in information offices? If the Government are short of money why is it that those at the bottom of the ladder are always the first to suffer?
As the Deputy knows these were persons temporarily appointed. They were not permanent. The Deputy is making a point that quite evidently is not sustainable. If one examines the regional tourist offices and the information offices and if one finds that with the general movement of people in motor cars through an area they can provide the same relatively good service in regard to booking hotels and providing information on tourist amenities, then it is quite inevitable that they should have to undertake some rationalisation. At least those they were employing were temporarily employed. There is a great deal of temporary employment in the summer in the tourist business and everybody is aware of that.
Is the Minister not aware that if we did not have the Government crisis last year tourists would have come to this country? The crisis is keeping people from all over the world from coming. Why not tell the truth?
That is nonsense.
(Interruptions.)
Is it not a fact that what is keeping the people away is that Ministers of this Government were bringing guns in here while the Minister and the Government stood idly by? People are afraid to come.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy would not encourage anybody. We would need to spend a lot of money to counteract the Deputy.
Is it not a fact that the reason for the very large amount of money required this year to meet deficits is that in the preceding years sufficient money was not made available to cover rising costs for existing services—not for improved services? Secondly, is it not correct that Bord Fáilte have not told the regional boards that they will not meet the deficit in future but that they may not be able to do so? This is important; otherwise there will be discussions towards the end of the year on this matter and we shall have two types of statement coming up.
The Deputy will have to ask another question but the words used in the reply given to me by my colleague are that the board "are not prepared to assume responsibility in respect of deficits incurred after that date". If the Deputy wishes I shall inquire from the Minister for Transport and Power to make quite sure that when "are" was used that was meant and not "may".
I asked the question because yesterday at a regional tourist board meeting the letter was read and those were not the words used.
I shall make quite sure by asking the Minister for Transport and Power whether a different phraseology should have been used but I am sure it was not intentional on the part of my colleague that there should be any discrepancy.
Could the Minister answer the first part of my supplementary? Is it because the necessary money was not made available to cover increasing costs over the years that we now have a situation where a very big sum of money is required to meet the deficit this year?
I could not say. All I know is that the amount has more than doubled since 1968-69, from £172,000 to £374,000.
21.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will state in respect of the latest year for which figures are available, the estimated amount per person spent in this country by persons from abroad who attended conferences here.
I am informed by Bord Fáilte that they estimated that conferences, sales meetings and incentive travel visits attracted 30,000 visitors to Ireland in 1970 and that the estimated average expenditure per head was £83.