The best available gauge of visitor perceptions of value for money in areas such as those specified by the Deputy is the biennial Bord Fáilte visitor attitudes survey, the most recent of which was carried out in 1997. The results of that survey show that more than eight in ten overseas holiday makers who use top and medium grade hotels were very or fairly satisfied with price as were eight in ten who used other grade hotels; 97 per cent of overseas holiday makers who used high quality restaurants and more than nine out of ten who used budget restaurants were very or fairly satisfied with price and three out of four overseas holiday makers who rented or hired cars were very or fairly satisfied with price.
In a comparison of prices generally, 89 per cent of overseas holiday makers considered prices in Ireland to be lower, about the same or higher but acceptable, compared to prices in their own country and 81 per cent considered prices in Ireland to be lower, about the same or higher but acceptable compared to prices in other holiday destinations which were believed to offer the same type of holiday as Ireland.
While there can be no room for complacency and we must continue to strive for improvement, there is no doubt that these results are reassuring.