Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide details of the €10 million tourism marketing campaign for the autumn and winter period; the efforts he is making to promote year round tourism here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34822/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The development and delivery of the campaign referred to by the Deputy is an operational matter for Tourism Ireland. I understand that the campaign is being rolled out in Great Britain, the United States and Continental Europe and incorporates a strong focus on promoting a wider regional spread of visitors. The core elements of the marketing campaign include advertising on television and radio, national daily newspapers and lifestyle magazines. In addition, I understand that it includes direct mail initiatives targeted at key contacts, internet marketing and the hosting of overseas media trips to Ireland.

The campaign is just one element of the initiatives supported by the unprecedented level of Exchequer resources which I secured for tourism development — €142 million for 2006 — representing a 14% increase on the 2005 amount. This investment is enabling the Tourism Agencies — Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland — to deliver, in full, their ambitious plans for 2006 including an emphasis on extending the seasonal spread of visitors.

There has already been an improvement in the seasonal dispersal of visitor numbers. In 1999, overseas visitor numbers in July and August accounted for 27% of our yearly total. A target was set for the industry that this would be reduced to 25% by 2006 but, at 23.7%, we have already exceeded that target. The reality is that the Autumn/Winter period is now a significant part of the tourism year and the period from September to December yields as much as 30% of overall annual tourism business. This change has been helped by the international trend towards shorter and more frequent holiday breaks.

With regard to other initiatives to promote year round tourism, Fáilte Ireland already has a sustained Home Holidays marketing programme in place and, through its enhanced Regional structures, will remain active through the Autumn/Winter period promoting specific products, regions and events with particular emphasis on the Christmas/New Year period.