Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 February 2005
4 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the way in which he proposes to deal with the ongoing imbalance in the distribution of visitors between the east coast and the remainder of the country; the way in which a better spread of tourism may be obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5348/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraAchieving as wide as possible a distribution of visitor numbers across the different regions with an associated spread of tourism revenue, has long been recognised as a major objective and challenge for tourism policy. In more recent times there has been an increasing international trend towards shorter more frequent breaks, which clearly favours easily accessible urban destinations. That has driven, to a significant extent, the more recent growth in Dublin and the eastern region. At a time of overall national tourism growth, I am concerned that the issue of regional spread should be pro-actively and energetically addressed and in that context I am pleased that the programmes and initiatives operated by the State tourism agencies and the action plan set out in the report of the tourism policy review group fully reflect this objective.
In their plans for 2005, both Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland will roll out a number of innovative approaches which should heighten the regional impact of Ireland's marketing activities both nationally and overseas. All regions will feature prominently in the full range of marketing activities; a dedicated marketing fund for tactical co-operative initiatives with the regional tourism authorities and their members will be established for 2005; a region to region approach will be adopted in Britain which will capitalise on direct access links to the regions; specific campaigns promoting the western seaboard will be mounted in North America; a sponsor a region approach will be adopted in Europe whereby each market office will focus attention alternately on a particular Irish region in order to enhance the awareness of the local trade of what that region has to offer; an enhanced consumer website with increased functionality and a strong regional input will provide for more dynamic up to the minute packages to entice the domestic traveller; and a strong focus on event-based holidays will be complemented by a more streamlined and targeted festivals and cultural events fund which will continue to favour the lesser-developed regions.
While many of the actions proposed by the tourism policy review group will have a positive impact on the regional distribution of tourism numbers and revenue, key actions I would highlight include those relating to product development, tourism promotion, access transport and the appropriate infrastructure and arrangements for the delivery of tourism policy at regional level.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
A major impediment to growth for certain regions, particularly the western seaboard and the north west, and from certain key source markets, particularly the US, has been the lack of good quality direct access. Recent developments, in particular the decision by Ryanair as regards its plans to develop Shannon Airport as a European hub, the announcement by American Airlines on new services from Boston and Chicago and the plans of Continental Airlines for a new direct service to Belfast, provide a welcome boost to the regions as we move into 2005. These developments build on the significant expansion by Aer Lingus of its route network since 2001. Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, which have been active in their pursuit of access improvements, will help to promote these routes in order to optimise their inbound tourism potential.
As the House will be aware, I have no direct responsibility as regards individual actions or measures relating to tourism promotion or development in so far as specific areas of the country are concerned. These are, of course, a day-to-day function of the tourism agencies.
This is obviously a serious matter for the rest of the country, apart from Dublin. The short-based holiday package now seems to be centred around the capital. As regards recent newspaper reports on a second terminal at Dublin Airport which the Minister, and indeed everyone, welcomed, will this not mean further advancement of the Dublin area as the ideal location for short-based holidays and therefore create even greater problems for the south and the entire western seaboard? I welcome what the Minister said as regards the various offices that now depict the different regions. Is there any mechanism to enhance further usage of the many airports that we now have? Many airports are being actively used as regards access to the city, but we do not appear to be bringing in holiday makers to these designated airports which would benefit the tourist industry as a whole.
Deputy Wall has hit the nail on the head. Access is crucially important as regards bringing people to the regions. A number of developments late in 2004 will help considerably in that respect. Ryanair announced that it would utilise Shannon as a European hub. That is of enormous importance because it means people from Europe will be brought directly into the mid-west and the west in increasing numbers. American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, whose representatives I met last October in Dallas, announced it is to operate daily flights from Chicago and Boston into Dublin and Shannon. This is enormously significant for the Shannon region in particular. It means the single largest airline in the world will be flying directly from the United States into the mid-west, which everyone will welcome. Increasing interest in Ireland by American airlines is also evidenced in the fact that Continental Airlines has decided to fly directly across the Atlantic into Belfast, a first for an American airline.
In general terms there is an increasing amount of interest by national and international airlines in the Irish regions and the constant development of our regional airports is of crucial importance in that respect. This is why I welcome the Minister of Transport's initiatives towards ensuring the regional airports are sufficiently marketed. I am acutely conscious that air access is just one element of travel. There is also the question of ferry access. Increasingly, we see greater numbers of visitors who come by ferry from Britain and France and travel to the regions in particular. I hope that in the course of 2005 we continue to improve access into the regions and in the final analysis that is the key.
A major marketing campaign is currently underway in Britain. Last year saw the greatest number of visitors in its history coming to the island of Ireland. There was a fall-off of about 1% in British visitors, nonetheless. A fall-off of 1% in British visitors is equivalent to a drop of 47,500 approximately. That is why the British market is of such vital importance. A stronger marketing campaign in Britain should bring in more visitors from there who traditionally travel to the Irish regions. There was a substantial increase in American visitors last year and I believe that will be replicated in 2005, judging by what I encountered on my visit to the United States when I addressed various meetings on the attractions of Ireland for American tourists.
