Tuesday 7th March 2006

REGIONAL TOURISM DECLINE WORRYING TREND
Transport Upgrades Critical For Regional Tourism Survival

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) today warned that unless Ireland’s regional transport infrastructure is upgraded soon, we risk a further downturn in regional tourism spread and put Ireland tourism industry’s growth plans in jeopardy. It urged the Government to fast track the vital regional access infrastructure outlined in its Transport 21 plans as announced last November. In particular, it stresses the need for the Atlantic road corridor to be prioritised in order to facilitate movement of visitors around Ireland, quickly and easily.

Speaking at the IHF’s 68th Annual Conference, Mr John Power, Chief Executive noted that regional tourism outside Dublin has been in steady decline for the past six years, despite an overall increase in overseas visitors to the country. He stated that urgent action is now needed to ensure that Ireland does not solely become a city break destination for overseas visitors, but preserves and grows its regional tourism offering. According to the IHF, bed nights by overseas visitors outside Dublin have fallen by 9.2 million since 1999. The decline in the ‘brought car’ market from the UK in particular is of great concern.

Commenting on the Minister for Transport’s plans to commence 39 road projects in 2006 and his commitment to upgrade the road signage system Mr Power commented that the current national road network is sub-standard compared to other European countries, with many visitors having great difficulty navigating their way around the country due to poor signage. Mr Power stressed the importance of facilitating movement of people easily and quickly around the country to assist and revive tourism in the regions and to enable visitors maximise their time in Ireland. He also reiterated the Federation’s call for a dedicated €10 million per annum marketing fund for the Shannon region over the next five years, to assist the transition once the renegotiation of the US/Ireland bi-lateral air agreement comes into effect from November 2006.

“Regional road and rail improvements and the provision of support in promoting Shannon airport are vital to develop our regional tourism product. While 6.7 million overseas visitors to Ireland in 2005 is a great achievement, it’s not telling the full story in terms of where those visitors went when they got here. The vast majority did not venture beyond the capital and the stark reality is that regional tourism is in decline. This is due to a combination of factors: namely the trend towards shorter holidays, and the international competition we now increasingly face from other destinations,” he said

“Ensuring that visitors have a great holiday experience is one solution, and indeed our conference this year addresses the challenges to providing that elusive ‘experience’, however, those efforts are in vain unless we have the necessary infrastructure in place to ensure visitors can move quickly and easily from one area to another. The ideal scenario is one whereby a visitor can access any major tourist centre within three hours from an airport or car ferry port. As a small island, and one of the richest economies in Europe today, there is no reason why this cannot be achieved,” Mr Power continued.

Shannon airport is a critical element of Ireland’s regional infrastructure, the conference heard, with the North American market being particularly important to the region. A number of new US and European air schedules were introduced to the airport in recent years, making it all the more important that it receives the marketing support it needs to grow. The €10 million marketing fund proposed by the IHF over the next five years would serve to fund a focused marketing campaign in key markets that have direct flights into Shannon, reinforce the ‘Ireland West’ tourism brand, and ensure that the Shannon region continues to benefit from transatlantic traffic.

“Our regions have so much to offer visitors so it’s hugely important that we act now to reverse the downward trend in regional tourism. As the largest indigenous industry in Ireland employing some 150,000 people, which generated over €5 billion for the economy last year, tourism depends on transport infrastructure for its very survival. Airports, road networks, and car ferry ports all form part of the ‘joined up thinking’ that characterises the Transport 21 plans. I would urge the Government to proceed in the execution of those plans immediately and without delay in order to support our industry’s growth plans over the next five years,” Mr Power concluded.

FOR INFORMATION:
Winifred McCourt / Niamh Boylan              Tel: 01 6760168
Weber Shandwick FCC                            Mobile: 087 2446004 or 086 3809191