Vol. 547 No. 3
351 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the extent to which the creation of new cross-Border bodies, including a tourism body, will generate tourism opportunities (details supplied) on both sides of the Border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3583/02]
Tourism Ireland Limited – TIL – is the new all-island tourism marketing company that was established in December 2000 by Bord Fáilte – BFE – and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board – NITB – under the framework of the Good Friday Agreement. Its operations are governed by a memorandum and articles of association and it is accountable to the North South Ministerial Council. TIL has responsibility for all-Ireland destination marketing, the delivery abroad of regional and product marketing and promotion activity on behalf of BFE and NITB, the overseas marketing office network and Tourism Brand Ireland. It recently launched its 2002 comprehensive marketing plan that has been designed to address the current market situation, with a view to recovering as much business as possible and a return to 2000 business levels.
Complementing the role of TIL are the initiatives being pursued by Bord Fáilte Éireann, whose mandate in terms of tourism product development-investment and regional tourism development, through the regional tourism authorities, in the South remained unchanged with the setting up of Tourism Ireland Limited.
Bord Fáilte Éireann's tourism product development scheme was launched last week and applications were invited on Friday, 1 February 2002. The scheme has a particular focus on the less developed tourism areas, which would include the counties listed by the Deputy, and makes provision for public sector investment of €130 million in the next five years.
Under the terms of the scheme, provision is made for the upgrading and packaging of geographically and financially sustainable clusters of existing attractions, including, where necessary, support for investment in some new projects identified as essential for the completion of such clusters. A cluster is defined as a grouping of complementary tourist attractions and facilities that have the potential to develop and contribute to the implementation of a coherent marketing strategy. Such clusters will be identified by the relevant regional tourism authorities, or Shannon Development in its region.
Accordingly, prospective applicants who would consider that a cluster might maximise its potential by including a Northern based project, even though such a project could not itself be funded under the scheme, should contact the relevant regional tourism authority from whom full details of the scheme can be obtained.
Question No. 352 answered with Question No. 350.
