Vol. 450 No. 8
30 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the special measures, if any, he is introducing to encourage greater numbers of Northern Ireland residents to holiday in Southern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5992/95]
Bord Fáilte is undertaking a number of marketing initiatives in Northern Ireland this year with a view to promoting further tourism from North to South. The Northern Ireland market, like that in the South, offers potential for short breaks in the shoulder and off-seasons. Bord Fáilte will be publishing separate editions of the Discover Ireland brochure for distribution in the North and is undertaking its largest ever television advertising campaign in the North, supported by radio, press and outdoor advertising.
I am glad to say that Northern Ireland is also gaining substantially from visitors from the South. This type of visitor movement is of value in much more than economic terms. It helps to break down barriers and misunderstandings which have persisted for too long.
Last November my Department and its Northern counterpart agreed a programme of special marketing measures, involving the promotion of tourism in the 12 northern counties, namely the six counties in Northern Ireland and the six southern Border counties. The key objective of these agreed initiatives is to encourage more people to holiday in the 12 northern counties, which have been most affected by the troubles of the last 25 years.
