Vol. 484 No. 3
331 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that tourism in Ireland becomes more of an all year round business as set out in his Forum 2000 business seminar speech in Dublin recently. [21934/97]
Specific targets have been set under the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 for improving tourism activity in the shoulder and off-peak seasons. At the beginning of the programme 70 per cent of visitors came to Ireland during the off-peak season and the aim is to increase this figure to 75 per cent by 1999. The mid-term target set out in the programme is for 72 per cent of visitors to arrive outside the peak period and I am happy to say that this target was reached during 1996.
On the product development side, the addition to the range and quality of weather independent facilities in recent years is helping to improve the seasonal profile of the tourism product range. The assistance which the industry has received under the Tourism Operation Programme has been of considerable benefit in this regard.
On the marketing side, the overseas tourism marketing initiative, which is a State-industry partnership marketing initiative, promotes Ireland on a year round basis in the key tourism markets of the US, Britain, France and Germany. Many of its campaigns are directed at attracting visitors outside the peak season. Tourism Brand Ireland is a key part of a new strategic approach to marketing, designed to address major issues such as yield, regional spread and seasonality. The advertising emphasis is on aspects of the Irish holiday experience such as human interaction, culture and historical heritage which are not season-dependent.
The Tourism Council has been very active in recent years in developing new projects and ideas to extend the tourist season such as the Celtic Flame Music Festival. In 1997 festival events were held in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Limerick with almost £100,000 committed in funding to continuation and extension of the project in 1998. This festival is specially aimed at attracting visitors from Britain and Europe in the early part of the year.
Another initiative to help address the seasonality issue is the re-invigorated national St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin. I am talking to a number of interested parties in relation to developing a national Millennium celebration which will have a strong seasonality profile.
The domestic tourism marketing campaign has a particular focus on developing the off-season market and is providing an important boost to the domestic market this year. Plans for a 1998 promotions campaign are being developed and it is hoped to announce details early in the New Year.
332 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation his views on the problems which might slow down tourism growth; if he will explain the statement made in his speech at the Forum 2000 Business Seminar where he said that hard work, poor pay and unsociable hours existed in the hotel sector and that this could be a major impediment to growth; and if he will clarify the matter. [21936/97]
Recent surveys confirm that the tourism industry suffers from a poor image among potential employees. A combination of factors have resulted in this perception and efforts by all concerned need to be harnessed to rectify this situation. The industry in particular acknowledges the need to improve the total employment package to make the sector more attractive to young employees.
The Irish Hotels Federation has launched its quality employer programme which outlines in detail the industry's willingness to tackle the staffing problems within the sector. This programme outlines a code of practice for employers, covering all areas of employment, including recruitment and selection of staff, contracts of employment, training and development and career progression. The programme also addresses problems relating to pay and conditions of employment and seeks to remedy the image of the industry regarding these issues.
CERT has also introduced a tourism awareness programme which is aimed at secondary schools and is designed to encourage greater interest among school leavers in the tourism industry. Over 5,000 students enrolled on the programme last year which it is hoped will help to dispel the poor image of the industry among school leavers.
Over the period of the Tourism Operational Programme 1994-99 CERT will invest £75 million in tourism training. Career opportunities within the industry are also being actively promoted to encourage people to look to their long-term career prospects within the industry.
Recently a major £20 million investment programme was announced by me as part of the Education Technology Investment Fund launched by my collegue the Minister for Education and Science. This will allow for expansion and upgrading of tourism training facilities to take place at the regional technical colleges in Cork, Tralee, Waterford, Athlone and Tallaght resulting in the provision of 2,000 training places for recruits into the industry. This development will form part of CERT's strategy in response to concerns about skills shortages in the industry into the new Millennium.
