Tourism bodies officially merge

A NEW national tourism development authority to replace Bord Fáilte and CERT will be formally established later this month with Gillian Bowler as chairwoman.

Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue yesterday announced details of the new organisation to be known as Fáilte Ireland which will be headed by CERT's current chief executive Shaun Quinn.

Mr O'Donoghue said the merger of the two bodies came at a time when Irish tourism was facing an increasingly competitive international environment.