Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the measures that have been put in place to market language tourism to the gaeltacht for foreign visitors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18940/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Údarás na Gaeltachta works in close co-operation with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, which are responsible for actively marketing and promoting Ireland to overseas visitors.

In 2007/8, marketing initiatives were put in place with a focus on marketing the Gaeltacht as a place in which to learn Irish and hear the language spoken, and as a tourism destination of outstanding merit. These initiatives have been rolled out over the past year with an emphasis on e-marketing as well as traditional multi-media publicity campaigns.

Examples of initiatives to date include:

the Ireland North West Marketing Campaign using TV, radio, internet and brochures;

Ireland West's Connemara Marketing Strategy;

marketing at trade shows in the United States, the UK and Europe;

the updating and revision of the Gaeltacht element of all Discover Ireland web information to include specific information on all Gaeltacht regions; and

a targeted campaign using European tour operators, which was launched in Paris in April 2008 with a focus on the Belgian, French, Italian and German markets and involved specific market segments focused on the Gaeltacht and the Islands.

I can assure the Deputy that strong working partnerships exist between Údarás na Gaeltachta and Fáilte Ireland, in particular through their regional offices and other tourism organisations, with a view to optimising the opportunities the tourism industry provides for the Gaeltacht.