Call for a change in tourist marketing in Ireland

By Evelyn Ring l The Irish Examiner
Ireland's publicly-owned cultural and heritage attractions must be re-packaged as holiday products, according to the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC). ITIC chairwoman Catherine Reilly said research showed that potential first-time overseas tourists who put Ireland on their list of places to go were worried that they would not have enough to do if they visited the country.

"While they believe they would be entertained for a day or two in the cities they are concerned that they would have nothing to do in the regions," said Ms Reilly at the launch of the ITIC's End of Year Review in Dublin Wednesday.

Ms Reilly said public funding should be invested in making the state's heritage sites more interesting and accessible for visitors.

"They are building a centre at the Cliffs of Moher in Clare and it is almost complete. I have been down there a couple of times and it is going to be more interesting for visitors, especially during inclement weather," she said.

And, she said, a heritage centre could be built beside Charles Fort in Kinsale, Co Cork, making it more attractive for tourists.

"Obviously, we would have to tell people that we have these sites for people to come and visit," she said.

Ms Reilly said the ITIC outlined its plans for the development of cultural and heritage attractions in its submission to the new National Development Plan that would cover the period between 2007 and 2013.

Ms Reilly said ITIC was also anxious to see the completion of the second terminal at Dublin Airport.

"The anticipated increase in overseas visitors to Ireland cannot be realised without the completion of the second terminal," she stressed.

The ITIC also pointed out that Ireland did better than most other European countries in increasing US tourist numbers to the level they were at before the September 11 attacks five years ago.

Last year more than one million US tourists visited Ireland – that's an increase of just over 10 percent on 2005 and reaching pre-9/11 numbers for the first time.

Tourism increase
* Almost 7.5 million tourists visited Ireland this year – that's an increase of 11 percent. These have generated almost 4 billion euros for the economy. Eight million visitors are expected in 2007.

* US tourist figures have returned to the level they were at before the September 11 attacks – they passed the one million mark during the year.

* The number of British visitors is up by 6 percent to 3.8 million but Europe is the star performer with more than 2 million visitors – up more than 16 percent.

December 29, 2006   Posted in: Travel Industry Info