Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has completed his review of tourism policy here. [27090/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Tourism Policy Review commenced in September 2013 when Minister Ring and I launched a consultation document, raising a series of questions regarding policy priorities, and inviting comments and responses from tourism industry stakeholders.  Over 170 submissions were received in response to the consultation document, from a wide variety of interested parties. Reflecting the diverse nature of tourism itself, a wide range of issues emerged in this feedback. The consultation process was also progressed by means of a series of regional seminars, each of which was chaired by me or Minister Ring.  These seminars involved an invited group of regional tourism actors, designed to maximise constructive discussion of the questions raised.

Following examination of all the written submissions, and the issues raised in the regional seminars, a Draft Tourism Policy Statement has now been prepared in my Department and I am currently making final drafting amendments to it.  A key aspect of this statement is a switch in focus from targeting growth in overseas visit numbers to targeting overseas visitor revenue, which is the key measure of the substantive economic impact provided by tourism. I will publish the Draft Policy Statement shortly to allow a brief period for further feedback from tourism stakeholders.  A finalised Tourism Policy Statement will then be brought to Government for approval.