Regions hit by big fall-off in tourism

THE number of bed nights generated by foreign holiday makers outside the Dublin region in 2003 was a massive 2.7 million less than it was in 1999.

The western seaboard from North Kerry to Donegal has taken the brunt of the loss in bed nights, according to the latest statistics. The biggest hit has been from Britain where cheap flights has undermined people travelling by ferry with their cars.

The figures are detailed in a new study: “How tourism to Ireland is changing: Regional Tourism.”

The figures show more people are visiting Ireland but for shorter periods.

Britain accounts for 50% of our overseas tourists and the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) says radical action is required to arrest the slide.

Dublin by contrast gained two million bed nights over the same period, resulting in a 3% loss in the overall figure at the end of 2003, a new study commissioned by ITIC found.

To counter the drop in tourists to the regions the report has called for the establishment of a Leisure Tourism Forum under the banner of Fáilte Ireland to be supported by Tourism Ireland and the regional tourism authorities and the tourism sector.

Other key recommendations include:

* The carrying out of a product audit in the affected regions to establish what’s on offer to the visitor.

* The introduction of a product enhancement programme for the regions stressing product innovation and better quality.

Compiled by TTC Consultants the report was presented in Dublin yesterday by Noel Sweeney, managing director of the group.

The figures for bed nights contrasted sharply from region to region. In Dublin the figure for 2003 was 6.7 million, an increase over the period of 41%.

Shannon by contrast saw its total number of bed nights drop 39% to 2.2 million. In the west the figure dipped 22% with almost 500,000 bed nights lost from the British holiday market, down 33% since 1999.

Long haul visitors from Europe and North America were also down over the period.

In the north-west 1.3 million bed nights in 2003 represented a 21% decline over the four-year period, a drop of almost 350,000 with Britain accounting for most of the fall, the study found.

The report concludes “Ireland has lost its key positioning in key segments of the British and European markets.”

It was clear also that the growth in Dublin highlighted the emergence of two distinct markets with Dublin and other urban centres. This is a case of “fundamental changes in the international pattern of holiday taking” that has to be urgently addressed by the industry, said Mr Sweeney.

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O’Donoghue, said: “Promoting greater regional dispersal of tourism has been and will remain a Government priority”, he said.

Tourism Ireland’s chief executive, Paul O’Toole, said the report was a timely reminder the market place is changing radically.