Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The number of overseas visitors to Ireland fell by 10.4% in the first seven months of 2009 compared with 2008. This reduction must be seen in context. The current year has been very difficult for tourism globally as a result of economic conditions. Ireland is actually holding its own or is performing better than some competitor destinations.

To assist the tourism sector, an extensive range of marketing, product development, training and business supports are being rolled out by the tourism agencies. Tourism Ireland frontloaded its marketing campaigns across all markets in order to secure as much business as possible for the peak and shoulder seasons and has intensified marketing activity for the second half of the year. On the domestic front, Fáilte Ireland committed to its largest ever campaign to promote home holidays in 2009 and recently launched a massive autumn campaign. Fáilte Ireland is also supporting enterprises and helping them to achieve cost savings and efficiencies. Many of those in the industry have responded positively in respect of this matter. I will provide further details of the supports to which I refer in my replies to a number of later questions.

With regard to structures, the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism provides strategic direction through tourism policies implemented at an operational level by its agencies, while also maintaining a strong partnership with the industry. Tourism Ireland's role is to promote the island of Ireland as a tourism destination in overseas markets. Fáilte Ireland's primary functions involve product development, domestic tourism marketing, tourism standards, enterprise support and human resource development.

I established the tourism renewal group at the end of 2008 to review and renew tourism strategy to ensure it is focused for the short term and that the tourism industry will benefit from the upturn when it comes. I understand the group has completed its consultations and deliberations and is finalising its report, which I expect to receive shortly.

The active responses of the agencies and the industry to current challenges demonstrate that the structures are working. With the ongoing support being provided, Irish tourism has the capacity to manage these challenges and return to sustainable growth in the medium term.

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