Monday 6th March 2006 

AIRPORT EXPANSION ON TIME CRITICAL
OTHERWISE MAJOR MARKETING EFFORTS UNDERMINED
Tourism Chief States

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) President Richard Bourke today welcomed the awarding by the Dublin Airport Authority of the Pier D construction contract and the appointment of a project manager for the second terminal but warned that it would be essential to the tourism industry’s growth potential that the planned expansion be completed to schedule.  The IHF, which has also welcomed the announcement of the public consultation process for the proposed Metro North in Dublin, called on the Government to bring its influence to bear to speedily expedite the airport’s expansion, or the tourism industry, which is now Ireland’s largest indigenous sector employing some 150,000 people, will witness stunted growth.

Speaking at the IHF’s 68th annual conference in Dublin Mr. Bourke said, “Delays in the delivery of crucial infrastructural projects have long impacted on the spread of tourism across the country. We have waited twenty years to reach this stage and the Dublin Airport Authority’s (DAA) awarding of the contracts is most welcome. However, as the leading Irish tourism organisation, the IHF is anxious that there are no further impediments to the expansion. The lack of capacity is already undermining UK passenger numbers through the airport. Whilst this impact is currently slight, if the new capacity is not made available swiftly, this could eventually be a huge issue for our most important overseas market.” 

Mr. Bourke said that the recent DAA figures indicating a decline in number of passengers to and from the UK demonstrated the underlying capacity issues and the urgency of the situation at Dublin Airport. “Last year over 18.4 million passengers used Dublin airport, representing an increase of over 1.3 million passengers on the previous year.  Nevertheless, it is worrying upon analysis to see that there has been a 1% decline in numbers to and from the UK attributed partly to capacity reasons. Notwithstanding the numbers travelling directly to our regional airports, any decline due partly to capacity in our single largest tourist market is of great concern.”  

“Attracting both business and leisure visitors from the UK is a major priority. It reduces the impact of marketing efforts if airport capacity results in visitor’s first and final engagement on our island being less than positive. Given that we are now seeking to grow tourism revenue and attract in excess of 10 million visitors by 2012, these new facilities are urgently required, and the DAA should ensure that the deadlines it has set out are met,” he said

He also warned that any potential delays to the airport’s expansion plan would negate the long term impact on visitor numbers that could be expected as a dividend of events such as the Ryder Cup.  “High profile events like the Ryder Cup are hugely beneficial and unique to showcase Ireland internationally both as a business and leisure destination and to increasing our visitor numbers. However, the sad truth is that the lack of capacity at Dublin Airport means that we cannot accrue the full benefits that could be expected. It is therefore vital that the expansion at Dublin Airport moves rapidly and on schedule, with Pier D completed by the end of 2007 at the latest and the second terminal by 2009. Any further delays will simply write off the benefits and result in lost opportunities undermining our potential to attract visitors, particularly from the very competitive US market. Last year some 930,000 North American visitors traveled to Ireland, however there is huge potential to increase that number by up to 50% over the next five years following the re-negotiation of the US/Ireland Bi-lateral Air Agreement,” he said.

Welcoming the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006, Mr. Bourke said, “The Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is to be applauded on the introduction of this critical piece of legislation.  It is hoped that this will impact on the rapid addition of badly need additional capacity both at Dublin Airport as well as fast tracking other strategic infrastructural developments. It is vital that this piece of legislation is quickly enacted. We have endured major delays on projects such as the M50, the Dublin Port Tunnel debacle and of course the expansion of Dublin Airport, all of which negatively impact on the overseas visitors’ experience of Ireland and impede their ability to quickly travel out of Dublin and access other parts of the country and its many attractions.”

The Government’s joined up thinking in terms of Transport 21 is also welcomed by the Federation, and the proposed Metro link to the airport cannot be delivered soon enough according to Mr. Bourke: “Dublin Airport and its expansion, notwithstanding the growth of the regional airports, are key to bringing in increased numbers of visitors in the first instance.  The full force of PPP should now be given every impetus to drive the expansion through to fruition on time or sooner.”

FOR INFORMATION:
Winifred McCourt / Niamh Boylan             Tel: 01 676 0168
Weber Shandwick FCC                Mobile: 087 2446004 or 086 380 9191