Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views, in view of the fact that the number of nights spent outside Dublin by overseas visitors has fallen by 9.2 million since 1999, that investment to increase the nation's tourism industry has to be increased evenly across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12664/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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As I previously advised the House, individual actions and measures relating to tourism promotion or development in so far as specific areas of the country are concerned are day-to-day functions of the State tourism agencies. The report on the regional spread of tourism, published last year by the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, outlines the variations in regional tourism performance in recent years, including a reduction of 2.5 million in the number of bed nights spent by overseas holidaymakers in areas outside of Dublin between 1999 and 2004.

Arising from the new horizons policy review, national tourism policy has seen a particular emphasis on putting measures in place to achieve a wider regional spread of tourism business. This is especially important as the increase in shorter breaks and urban tourism continues to bite in rural areas. In 2006, Fáilte Ireland will invest more than €60 million in supporting regional tourism, from local festivals to building capability and strengthening the tourism product. The authority will channel in the region of €10 million of this sum directly into the regional tourism companies to strengthen and enhance their operational and marketing capabilities this year. This investment is designed to ensure both high quality visitor servicing at key tourist information offices and also a strong overseas promotional effort.

Both Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland will roll out some innovative schemes this year to heighten the regional impact of Ireland's marketing activities both nationally and overseas. The super regions initiative launched last month is one of these. The agencies will also have at their disposal an opportunities fund of €1 million to allow them to respond to regional opportunities which may arise during the course of the year and are not anticipated in current programmes. Fáilte Ireland has also announced a new €1 million local area marketing fund to support the industry in generating additional business in 2006 and 2007. In addition it has an innovation fund of about €1 million up and running whose immediate priority is to encourage innovation and investment across a range of new products, with a strong emphasis on products designed to attract and hold visitors outside the mature urban tourism areas.

Recognising the importance of home holidays at regional level, Fáilte Ireland will invest €4 million to sustain the recent remarkable growth in the home market. It also plans to advertise domestic holidays and short breaks 44 weeks a year in order to reach and stimulate the impulse market. Fáilte Ireland's website, www.ireland.ie, generated half a million direct sales leads to the tourism industry during 2005.

Furthermore, on the basis that activities and attractions — things to do and see — are central to increasing spend per visitor, Fáilte Ireland will continue to assist in product development including developing and promoting looped walks, angling, festivals, cycling routes, equestrian, golfing and water based activities. The recruitment and training of people to work in tourism remains a key issue for the industry across all regions. In response, Fáilte Ireland has decided to deliver 80 return to work programmes in 55 locations and four temporary training centres will also be set up to attract approximately 500 local people into tourism. The programmes run at these workshops have proved to be extremely popular as a means of providing training relevant to the needs of local employers.

Fáilte Ireland also recognises the particular pressures on small tourism businesses and, in response, is establishing tourism business networks in every county as a practical step to helping small businesses address their own development needs. Tourism Ireland for its part will invest an estimated €5 million in 2006 specifically to support promotion of the regions of Ireland overseas and will engage in additional, co-operative marketing with all regions. Key activities include presenting and promoting a series of all-island tourist theme trails or rainbow routes to help tourists get the most out of their visit. Themes will include music, gourmet, literature, history, Christian heritage and houses and gardens and will be cross-regional; and further promoting and supporting regional access development as well as reinvigorating the car touring sector.

As the Deputy will appreciate, visitors cannot be forced to go to a particular location against their will. The responsibility primarily lies with the individual communities and operators in the regions to present and market compelling attractions, facilities, accommodation and experiences which deliver value for money and quality service. The Deputy will be aware that the initiatives I have outlined are being undertaken against a backdrop of a restructuring and refocusing of the delivery of tourism at regional level which will effectively lead to the provision of a one-stop-shop for the tourism industry in the regions, with strong regional representation.

This revision of regional tourism structures, which I have fully endorsed, is based on the PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Travers reports on how best Fáilte Ireland might carry out its development mandate countrywide. The PWC report highlights the need for a much wider and strategic brief for regional tourism. It recommends a greatly increased emphasis on targeted marketing, product development and enterprise support and suggests establishing an integrated linkage between regional tourism strategy and national policy and exploiting avenues to leverage increased resources.

An implementation group chaired by Mr. Finbarr Flood was established to assist Fáilte Ireland in implementing the recommendations of the two reports. This group undertook an extensive process of engagement with relevant parties, including the existing regional tourism authorities and industry representative groups, to smooth the process of implementation and I understand it will submit its report to Fáilte Ireland shortly.

In tandem with this, Fáilte Ireland has begun the process of gearing up its internal structures. A new senior management position of director of regional development has been created and applications to fill the post are being processed. A due diligence process has commenced with each of the RTAs. Fáilte Ireland expects that these changes will impact on the regions by the middle of the year.