Written answers

Wednesday, 22 May 2019

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Tourism Promotion

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which the development of tourist packages is being encouraged with particular reference to attracting and accommodating visitors from Europe and globally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22259/19]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which specific holiday packages are being created here to attract visitors from Japan, China and other locations globally that frequent other tourist locations throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22260/19]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together.

  My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of developing national tourism policy and the tourism agencies (Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland) deal with the implementation of this policy. Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas as a holiday and business tourism destination.

While neither my Department nor Tourism Ireland has any role in the development of specific holiday packages for overseas visitors to Ireland – this is a matter for individual tour operators – Tourism Ireland actively engages with international tour operators and travel agents to encourage them to include Ireland in their programmes. It also facilitates Irish tourism enterprises to meet and do business with international tour operators and travel agents through in-market sales missions and events.

In relation to the specific markets cited by the Deputy, I provided increased funding to Tourism Ireland in Budget 2019 to allow it to, inter alia, commence implementing market strategies for growth this year both in new and emerging markets, such as China and Japan, and in Germany. 

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