The regional tourism authorities were established by Bord Fáilte under the Tourist Traffic Acts for the promotion and development of tourism on a regional basis. In line with the commitment set out in the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium, Bord Fáilte initiated a review of the RTAs during 1999, carried out on their behalf by Fitzpatrick Associates.
The objective was to review the role and operations of the RTAs and recommend how they could optimally contribute to the achievement of national tourism objectives and targets set by the Government in line with Bord Fáilte's strategic plan, while taking into account regional priorities and customer focus. The consultants met with my Department and a number of other agencies and bodies during the course of their assignment.