As the Deputy is aware, a Tourism Monitoring Group was convened in February to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector. The group assessed the initial impact of the pandemic based on feedback provided from industry stakeholders and facilitated the rapid sharing of key information and insights, to help improve understanding and responses to the crisis. It also discussed ideas and proposals for immediate mitigating actions and for recovery measures required to kick-start the industry. The group first met on 26 February and met seven times in total, holding its final meeting on 05 May. I wish to thank the membership of the group for their work and for the valuable role they played in assisting the Government in formulating its initial response to the crisis.
In May, a Tourism Recovery Taskforce was appointed to prepare a Tourism Recovery Plan which includes a set of recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector can adapt and recover in the changed tourism environment as a result of the crisis. In June, the Taskforce published an Initial Report recommending a number of measures to help save jobs and businesses across the sector, some of which have already been addressed in the July Stimulus package. The taskforce submitted its final Recovery Plan to me last week. It is making a number of recommendations to help the sector to survive the crisis and eventually recover. Along with my colleagues in Government, I will consider its recommendations as we prepare for the Budget and the subsequent National Economic Plan.
Fáilte Ireland’s COVID-19 Industry Advisory Group continues to meet on a fortnightly basis, providing feedback and input from a cross section of the industry, helping to guide Fáilte Ireland’s response to this crisis and to provide supports to the industry.
