In 1995, almost two thirds of European visitors surveyed on behalf of Bord Fáilte rated Ireland as giving good value for money. By 2001, however, that proportion had declined to just one third. This deterioration is even more acute if one looks at the German market, although Italy, France and the Netherlands show similar trends. We have to face up to the disturbing developments we see in the results of these surveys. A Forfás study indicated that Ireland is the second most expensive country in the eurozone behind Finland. Under the headings of pubs and restaurants, the latest ranking of consumer prices positions Ireland as the joint most expensive country of the 12 eurozone countries and the second most expensive for drink.