Small firms call for policy on tourism

THE Small Firms Association (SFA) has warned that more than 30,000 jobs are under threat unless the Government attends to tourism-related industries.

“While the tourism industry was strong in 2007 with 7.7 million visitors, the changing circumstances of the economic uncertainty, weak consumer confidence and spend now mean that the tourism industry and related leisure and entertainment industries are now facing economic meltdown and the situation calls for immediate action.

“More than 30,000 people are employed in direct tourism, thousands more in the leisure and entertainment industries and they are facing immediate threat. Add to that countless thousands of jobs in sub-supply to these industries and the bigger picture emerges,” said the SFA’s assistant director, Avine McNally.