DÁIL REPORT ON IRISH TOURISM

Marie O'Halloran had an interesting piece in The Irish Times on Friday. She quotes the Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, Martin Cullen as saying that Ireland is 'holding its own' or performing better than some competitor destinations despite the downturn in overseas visitor numbers. I think he is right. However, times are still very challenging. Fine Gael spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said the industry was in crisis and that people in the tourism industry had told her there was 'no one body' to organise and make the industry coherent. I think she may be suggesting that there does not seem to be an IFA or CIF equivalent for the tourism industry. Pat McCann of Maldron Hotels was recently quoted in Hotel & Resturant Times (Aug/Sept '09) as saying 'I just think there's not the seriousness given to the tourist industry there should be. In many countries, it's high on the governments agenda, to make sure all decisions are in support of that industry, and not to the detriment of it'.