Written answers

Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Tourism Policy

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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17. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of a successor to the Tourism Action Plan 2019-2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32485/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Following the publication in 2015 of the policy statement, "People, Place and Policy, Growing Tourism to 2025", the then-Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport established a Tourism Leadership Group (TLG). The TLG was tasked with overseeing the formulation of an Action Plan to implement the policy goals set out in this document. Once formed, the TLG developed two action plans over the period 2016-2021 to deliver the objectives in the policy statement.

In 2020, during the timeframe of the second Tourism Action Plan (2019-2021), the tourism landscape changed drastically. COVID-19 had a devastating impact on our tourism industry.

During this time, the Government provided supports for the sectors worst affected by the crisis, including tourism. A Tourism Recovery Taskforce was established in May 2020 and delivered a Tourism Recovery Plan with recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector could adapt and recover in the changed tourism environment. Later that year, I appointed a Recovery Oversight Group to oversee the implementation of this plan. The Recovery Oversight Group is continuing its work and will continue to report with updates on implementation of the recovery plan and recovery in the sector more generally.

In 2019, a Sustainable Tourism Working Group under the aegis of my Department set out an ambition for sustainable tourism in Ireland as well as a number of guiding principles for sustainable tourism development. Late last year I brought a report to Government, developed by this Group, which identifies a suite of actions that will promote sustainable tourism practices out to 2023. 

My Department has initiated the development of a new national tourism policy that will seek to mainstream sustainability. Officials in the Department are currently preparing to undertake an initial consultation with key stakeholders. Following the completion of this initial informal consultation and a review of the previous policy (People Place and Policy 2025), a formal public consultation will take place with a view to publishing a new Sustainable Tourism Policy in 2023.  

This policy commitment will seek to deliver on Ireland’s ambition to be among the world-leaders in sustainable tourism practices, from not only an environmental but also a social and economic perspective.  

Photo of James O'ConnorJames O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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18. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department’s strategy to attract an increased number of tourists in view of the increased number of direct sailings from Ireland to mainland Europe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32423/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As an island economy, it is essential that tourism is enabled by the supply of convenient, direct and competitive access. Tourism Ireland has a vital role to play in building the demand needed to restore access and connectivity to pre-pandemic levels, by working closely with air and sea carriers, airports and ferry ports, as well as other partners, to drive demand for new and existing air and sea services. Tourism Ireland consistently makes the case for the introduction of strategically important inbound services and welcomes proposals from air and sea carriers for the introduction of routes with inbound tourism potential. 

Tourism Ireland promotes regional air and sea access to Ireland in overseas tourism markets through initiatives like the Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund. This initiative seeks to encourage new access opportunities and to maximise the potential of existing services to the regions, with matched funding from airlines, sea carriers, airports, ports and regional tourism stakeholders including Local Authorities.  

The Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund has been very important in enabling tactical partnerships that have helped drive increases in visitors to the regions, amplifying the tourism marketing message overseas and supporting direct access. This scheme will continue to form a very important part of Tourism Ireland's plans in supporting the recovery of our tourism sector in a post-pandemic environment.  

The allocation to Tourism Ireland in respect of the Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund for 2022 is €3 million.  

This Spring, Tourism Ireland in France undertook a co-operative campaign with Brittany Ferries, to help drive demand among French holidaymakers for its Roscoff to Cork and its Cherbourg to Rosslare services and bookings for sailings for July 2022 are up 44% on July 2019.  

Tourism Ireland will run campaigns in France this Autumn with Irish Ferries to promote its Cherbourg to Dublin service, with Stena Line to promote its Cherbourg to Rosslare service and with DFDS to promote its Dunkirk to Rosslare service. 

Tourism Ireland in Spain will also partner with Brittany Ferries this autumn, to highlight its Bilbao to Rosslare service to potential holidaymakers in northern Spain. Earlier this year, Brittany Ferries confirmed the introduction of a more tourism-oriented ship, the Galicia, on its Bilbao to Rosslare route, from November 2022. Currently this route is serviced by the Connemara, a predominantly freight vessel with limited facilities for holidaymakers. The new ship offers potential to grow visitor numbers from northern Spain and Tourism Ireland will work with Brittany Ferries to leverage that opportunity. 

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