asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the way in which he intends to double revenue from tourism, and hence provide 40,000 new jobs, as advocated in his party's policy document; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourism Revenue.
26.
This Government fully recognise the potential for real growth in the tourism industry. They have provided a timely reminder of their commitment to the industry with the speed with which they introduced their programme of incentives to boost tourism in 1987.
One of the main priorities of Government will be to maximise the employment potential within the industry. The recently announced programme represents a concerted drive by the Government, Bord Fáilte, the access transport carriers and other sectors of the industry to restore growth to tourism this year. I expect that this programme will result in an increase of 400,000 in visitor numbers in 1987. Tourism revenue accruing from this increase will result in the creation of more than 5,000 new jobs in the economy this year.
I am at present working on a plan for the development of the industry over the next five years. In formulating this plan, I will be taking cognisance of the Price Waterhouse consultancy study of all State expenditure on tourism as well as the study on Irish tourism commissioned by the Irish Hotels Federation which concluded that tourism revenue could be doubled within six to seven years, with the resultant creation of 40,000 new jobs. The Price Waterhouse study is expected to be finalised by the end of this month.
Does that mean doubling the revenue in real terms?
I expect it does but that expectation is based on inflation not escalating.
Is the projection of 40,000 extra jobs over a five year period, or over a period of between six and seven years?
A period of between six and seven years was mentioned in the study carried out by a consultancy firm for the Irish Hotels Federation. That study had an input from the Irish Hotels Federation and others with expertise whom the Irish Hotels Federation employed to take part in the study in order to keep them in touch with the coal face, if that is not the wrong metaphor to use.
The Minister in both this and an earlier reply stated that he hopes to increase the number of jobs in the tourist industry by 5,000 in 1987. Can he give any forecast of the increase in job numbers in subsequent years, or are the 40,000 new jobs to be created within six to seven years a global figure? Can the Minister give us a year by year run down?
In fairness, I could not give the Deputy a year by year forecast. The figures were not just snatched out of the air; they are based on the realities in the tourist industry at present. The projected figures which I read out are the ones which were estimated in reasonably conservative terms by those who carried out the study.