IRELAND IS “holding its own” or performing better than some competitor destinations despite the downturn in overseas visitor numbers, Minister for Tourism Martin Cullen insisted. He rejected Fine Gael claims that there is a “huge crisis” in the tourism industry.
Fine Gael spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said that regardless of how the Minister tried to play it down or say that other countries were also doing badly, there was a huge crisis.
“I do not know how much of the tourism industry will be left by the time Christmas arrives,” she said. “Every week I hear about hotels, attractions and those who operate on the fringes of the tourism industry going out of business”.
Ms Mitchell said people in the tourism industry had told her there was “no strategic leadership” and “no one body” to organise and make the industry coherent. She said that her party had suggested slashing VAT rates and abolishing the travel tax, and proposals were also made to give British pensioners free travel in Ireland. She said the McCarthy report called for a change in structure because there was no leadership in the sector and she asked what proposals the Minister had.
Ms Mitchell said the tourism industry, not the Government, was investing €37 million to give everyone a €50 voucher, but she asked if this made sense “when the Minister for Finance is simultaneously taking in €45 million from the travel tax”.
Mr Cullen, rejecting the Fine Gael assessment, said that he had met many tour operators and that travel tax “was not an issue for them at all”.
They were concerned that marketing be sustained. He had received positive feedback about the efforts that had been made.
“I do not accept that there is a lack of leadership. I have spoken to many of those in the industry who are working closely with us.
“We must be careful in our choice of language. There is no question that the position is extremely difficult. However, I would not refer to the industry as being completely in crisis. Such an assessment is neither helpful nor true,” the Minister added.
