Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 June 2017
44. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to allocate a specific marketing budget to Fáilte Ireland to promote County Donegal specifically, further to the county being nominated by a magazine (details supplied) as the coolest place on the planet to visit in 2017 and Donegal Airport being named the second most scenic airport in the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29938/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for the boards and management of the two tourism agencies - Tourism Ireland in regard to overseas tourism marketing and Fáilte Ireland in regard to regional tourism development and domestic tourism promotion.
Tourism Ireland is responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas as a holiday and business tourism destination and undertakes extensive marketing campaigns in 23 key source markets for tourism to Ireland. Within Ireland, individual counties may compete for domestic visitors. Research carried out for Tourism Ireland indicates that the level of awareness of Ireland's county boundaries is low among potential overseas visitors, and therefore expenditure by public or private entities on marketing an individual county to consumers in overseas markets is unlikely to provide an adequate return on investment.
I am delighted that National Geographic Traveller has named Donegal at the top of its list of 'coolest places to visit' in 2017. Donegal features prominently in Tourism Ireland's global marketing activity. For example last autumn, filming took place at places like Malin Head, Fanad Lighthouse, Glenveagh National Park and Slieve League in Donegal for Tourism Ireland footage of the Donegal section of the Wild Atlantic Way. Tourism Ireland has rolled out a series of Wild Atlantic Way advertising campaigns in overseas markets over the past year, in which Donegal has featured.
Donegal, and the accolade received from National Geographic Traveller, are highlighted on Tourism Ireland's suite of international websites as well as through Tourism Ireland's social media platforms. Donegal continues to be extensively promoted through a series of Wild Atlantic Way adverts and will feature in the upcoming Star Wars film providing a superb promotional opportunity. Tourism Ireland also works with overseas travel, lifestyle and special interest media as part of their overseas promotional programme. I understand that Tourism Ireland recently provided details of such campaigns to the Deputy.
Donegal Airport certainly benefits from a very scenic approach and the recent publicity it received is welcome, both for the airport and the county. Tourism Ireland has, since 2015, supported direct access to regional airports through its Regional Air Access Cooperative Fund. This provides for funding to be made available where it is matched by carriers or airports in order to exploit marketing opportunities for direct access. I understand that Donegal Airport has availed of this fund in the past and would encourage it do so again.
I understand that Aer Lingus has announced they are interlining routes to Donegal (Carrickfinn) from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam and Charles de Gaulle in Paris. Tourism Ireland and Aer Lingus are trialling a new interlining initiative (to the end of October 2017) to make it easier for French and Dutch visitors to fly into Donegal Airport (Carrickfinn). This new pilot scheme means that visitors can travel Charles de Gaulle/Dublin/Donegal or Schipol/Dublin/Donegal with tickets issued all the way through and baggage transferred automatically all the way through to Donegal airport (so there is no need to reclaim luggage at Dublin and check in again for onward travel to Donegal). Tourism Ireland will promote the new scheme.
In 2016, Fáilte Ireland invested €1.7m on marketing the Wild Atlantic Way and, along with the local authorities from Donegal to Galway, have co-funded a marketing campaign in Great Britain in 2017 in which Donegal features heavily.
