Helen Keogh
Ceist:59 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the steps, if any, that have been taken for co-operation with Northern Ireland on the promotion of Ireland as a whole as a tourist attraction.
Written Answers. - Tourism Development Co-operation.
Under the auspices of the Anglo-Irish Conference, two formal meetings have been held between the Irish and British Authorities to explore areas for co-operation in the development of tourism on an all-Ireland basis. These meetings have been supplemented by regular North/South contacts at ministerial, departmental and tourist board level.
Since 1988, Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board have undertaken a number of joint marketing initiatives abroad, principally in the British, Continental European, North American and Australasian markets. These initiatives have included a jointly-operated Ireland desk at the British Travel Centre in London, joint representation at Travel Fairs abroad, the production of supporting all-Ireland visual and literary material and the reciprocal stocking of literature at the major offices of the boards. The International Fund for Ireland has generously supported many of these initiatives with more than £5 million up to the end of 1993.
Co-operation between Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board is also facilitating the development of the integrated all-Ireland computerised information and reservations system, known as "Gulliver", which features information on many aspects of tourism, North and South. This joint North/South project, which has been supported by both the European Union and the International Fund, will allow for the first time some international tour operators and travel agents to directly book tourist accommodation and other facilities from this year.
I am pleased to note that increasing co-operation is also taking place between the tourism industries on both sides of the Border. We already have a number of specialist publications featuring all-Ireland tourist facilities, but the decision last year by the Irish Hotels Federation and their counterparts in Northern Ireland to produce this year on a joint basis an all-Ireland accommodation guide was particularly welcome.
The Deputy will also be interested to know that there are various initiatives in train to promote tourism in the immediate Border area. With the support of the International Fund for Ireland, a marketing manager has been appointed jointly by the two tourist boards to promote over a three year period the Shannon-Erne Waterways as a major new tourism facility. This initiative has already generated substantial interest from tour operators abroad, and it is expected that many foreign visitors will use the waterway when it is opened this year.
The EU-funded INTERREG Programme is also assisting the promotion of tourism on a cross-Border basis. One of the many assisted projects in the North West Passage, a new touring route between Dublin and the north-west developed by the relevant local authorities, which highlights the wide variety of interesting tourist facilities along its route.
My Department will continue to explore potential areas for future tourism co-operation in consultation with our Northern colleagues and our respective tourist boards, and every effort will be made to secure funding support for appropriate projects.