Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the new initiatives which have been taken by his Department since the vote on Brexit in Britain to ensure Ireland is prepared to deal with the expected drop in visitor numbers from Britain; his plans to ensure the tourism sector diversifies in both attracting visitors from other countries and in improving tourism amenities here going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29962/17]

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I offer congratulations to the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, on his appointment to his new role. He is only in the role a wet day and the questions are coming. What new initiatives have been taken by the Department since the vote on Brexit in Britain to ensure Ireland is prepared to deal with the expected drop in visitor numbers from Britain? What are the Minister's plans to ensure the tourism sector diversifies in attracting visitors from other countries and in improving tourism amenities here going forward? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for the questions. It is a question I imagine will return time and again, and rightly so, because of the present situation.

Since the UK voted to leave the EU, my Department has been fully engaged in evaluating the ensuing risks for tourism and, together with the tourism agencies, working to address those risks. The Department's analysis of the situation was greatly assisted by the all-island sectoral meeting I hosted with the industry in January which examined the impact of Brexit on the tourism and hospitality sector. From a departmental perspective, we will continue our work across Government to ensure our concerns are high on the agenda. For tourism, the priorities include maintaining a liberalised aviation regime, preserving the common travel area, avoiding a hard Border and retaining British-Irish visa agreements for third countries.

The tourism agencies are engaged in the operational aspects of preparing for Brexit. Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing Ireland as a tourism destination overseas. In broad terms, its strategy involves two main elements. First, it has taken steps to revise its marketing effort in Britain to make it more relevant in a Brexit environment. As well as this, it is implementing a market diversification strategy. This aims to attract more visitors from markets which deliver longer stays and, therefore, higher revenue returns. The significant increase in visitors from North America in early 2017 is evidence of this.

For its part, Fáilte Ireland is also working on a number of fronts to assist the diversification and development of our tourism industry and the attractiveness of our tourism product offering.  Ongoing work to develop the main experience brands and enhance visitor experiences is aimed at boosting our appeal to key target markets and priority consumer segments. With regard to training and business supports, Fáilte Ireland offers a suite of supports to enhance the competitiveness, enterprise capability and sustainability of the tourism sector.  In addition, it is creating a new Brexit response programme that will focus on delivering a capability building programme for industry.

I will provide more detail on tourist numbers from Britain and other specific areas in a moment.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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As the Minister will be aware, Britain accounts for 40% of visitors to the island of Ireland, the largest number of any country. To date, the approach taken by Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland has been to market existing amenities. While some grant aid is available to develop amenities, it has not been enough to encourage visitors to some parts of the country. It appears that areas where tourism is weak but has significant potential have been left to their own devices and have not been prioritised or developed. Will the Government consider the establishment of a targeted policy plan to assist areas with significant tourism potential to help increase tourist and visitor numbers?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister repeatedly claps himself on the back for the increase in tourist numbers from regions other than the United Kingdom. It seems that all is well because other regions will make up for the decline in tourist numbers from the UK. However, Britain accounts for 42% of visitors to Ireland and the number of UK visitors decreased by 7% in the first six months of this year. This is a very serious development because people from the UK tend to visit parts of Ireland that are not holiday hot spots, as it were. What exactly does the Minister propose to do to mitigate against the effects of this substantial decline in tourists from Britain? When the Brexit result became known, the Minister indicated it would not have any impact on the tourism industry. Unfortunately, it is having a major impact on tourism, as the figures published this week indicate.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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To respond first to Deputy Munster, I do not know if she is asking that any specific areas be targeted. Does she have in mind County Louth?

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I am thinking of County Louth and east County Meath, as well as the cross-Border tourism potential of the Newry and Mournes district and south Armagh. All these areas have significant tourism potential and are not being targeted for development.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Some of those areas are in Ireland's Ancient East, which is a great success story. As the Deputy is aware, I do not get involved in operational matters or tell Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland how to run their business. I will, however, convey to both agencies the sentiments the Deputy expressed. If she thinks of a specific area with significant tourism potential which has not been realised because it has not been focused on, I will relay that information to the tourism bodies.

We must acknowledge that we have managed to do reasonably well, despite the appalling effects of Brexit. I do not, as Deputy Troy stated, clap myself on the back about this. The decline in visitor numbers from the UK as a result of Brexit is not my fault and the recovery in tourism is not in any way to my credit. The dramatic fall in visitor numbers from Britain can be ascribed almost completely to the decline in the value of sterling. It does not have anything to do with anybody here.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To hell with it then. Is that the Minister's attitude?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am monitoring daily what is being done to compensate for this decline. That is the issue on which Deputy Munster asked her question. Tourism Ireland has been very active in Britain and on the issue of market diversification. While the figures to which Deputy Troy referred reflect exactly what is happening, they also show that overseas visitors increased by more than 3% in the first five months of 2017. As we approach the peak season, it is particularly encouraging to note that visitor numbers from all areas apart from Britain have increased, with North America particularly buoyant. As expected, there has been a significant decline in the number of visitors from Great Britain. I note, however, that the tourism agencies are working to counteract the impact of this on the areas most affected.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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There has been no focus on some areas in Ireland's Ancient East, while other areas are heavily marketed in campaigns and so on. Areas such as the Border area around north Louth, beautiful south Armagh and the Newry and Mournes district are weak in terms of tourist numbers because promotional activity, funding and development have not been forthcoming. Will the Minister agree to implement a plan that focuses on areas that are weak on tourist numbers but have significant potential? Thus far, these areas have been neglected and we seem to get a deaf ear from Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland when we raise the matter with them.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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We are looking seriously at other areas, including the lakelands area, with which Deputy Troy will be familiar and on which I will respond in a Topical Issue debate later. People also believe that this area is neglected or not fully covered by Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and other big ticket tourism projects. I have had discussions with the tourism agencies about ways of targeting various places and they are very open to ideas. Micro-management is probably harder to sell abroad. The brands that are working at the moment are working very well. That is only my opinion, however, because it is the tourism agencies which have the expertise in this area.

If an area is genuinely neglected and a good case can be made for it - there are undoubtedly some such areas - I will certainly convey this to the agencies and relay the response I receive to the Deputy. I do not wish to interfere or direct the tourism agencies to spend millions on specific areas because I do not have the relevant expertise. However, I will certainly put the matter to them if the Deputy wishes.