Despite the positive rhetoric about the importance of tourism to the Irish economy, the absence of a strategic plan continues to hamper its development.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Capital Spending Programme 2012-2016. Tourism is set to receive €81 million over the period, but this is really just a re-packaging of commitments made previously. It was known for some time that decisions had been taken on major projects such as the Book of Kells Visitor Centre in Trinity College, the Viking Triangle in Waterford, The Great Western Greenway in Mayo, King John's Castle and the Limerick Riverside and Killarney House and Derrynane House in Kerry.
And what was news, was bad news, The planned investment in higher education for the sector was put on hold indefinitely. DIT's move to Grangegorman is now stalled and the planned development of a new hospitality, tourism & culinary arts building at IT Tallaght has also been deferred.
By comparison, the agri-food, marine and forestry sector which employs fewer people (137,000 v 180,000) is set to receive €840 million. That's 10 times more than the tourism allocation! So why is this? Well, the spending programme makes reference to the 'considerable scope for expansion and growth in the agriculture, food, marine and forestry sector.... identified in the Food Harvest Report 2020'. It also highlights that 'focused capital development in these areas through the capital grants scheme ...will facilitate progress towards achieving the Food Harvest 2020 goals'.
The last strategic plan for Irish tourism was published way back in 2003 but the world has changed a lot since then. Others countries are moving ahead. Take a look at the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy for Australia and you'll see what I mean.
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