Vol. 504 No. 3
19 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation his views on the introduction of a tourist tax particularly in the context of the substantial surplus Exchequer funds; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that major figures in the hotel industry have opposed the introduction of such a tax. [11570/99]
In partnership with the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, I have been engaged over the past year in planning to address the future policy challenges facing the industry. Given the increasingly competitive and sophisticated global marketplace in which we operate, we both agree on the need to secure adequate provision for tourism marketing for the year 2000 onwards.
As I have already indicated in my reply to previous parliamentary questions, one of the options which I have been exploring, in consultation with the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, for the future financing of tourism destination marketing, is the possible introduction of a modest visitor levy in line with practice in many other countries, but without prejudice to the case for continued EU funding for tourism marketing under the next round of Structural Funds.
While no final decisions have been taken yet in relation to the possible introduction of a levy, I share the industry's anxiety that the issue of future provision for tourism marketing be resolved as soon as possible to properly plan for 2000 and subsequent years, and I am working towards achieving this objective.
