Tourism interests in the South-West are hoping an expected influx of American visitors from the end of May will compensate for a slow start to 2013.

Comic duo Cha and Miah will be to the forefront in enticing Cork exiles to return to their roots for this year’s Gathering.

The holiday industry yesterday sounded an upbeat note on the prospects for the coming high-tourist season.

Ministers are putting the “frighteners” on people in order to try and force a yes vote on the fiscal treaty, Socialist TD Joe Higgins has said.

The president of the Irish Hotels’ Federation, Michael Vaughan, said yesterday there had been a market failure in tourism in producing sufficient alternative tourism product from counties Cork to Donegal.

The mothballing of under-performing hotels has to be a last resort and instead efforts should be focused on increasing the numbers of tourists into Ireland.

BUSINESS leaders are hoping the results of a survey may convince an airline carrier to re-launch the Cork-Dublin flights which Ryanair is pulling from next month.

A SENIOR tourism figure yesterday welcomed the launch of a new website aimed at boosting Clare’s visitor numbers — but said more needs to be done to boost numbers in the west.

THE National Roads Authority has said its offer to re-instate an iconic tourism landmark it stripped down in the Burren in controversial circumstances was turned down by Clare county council.

STEPS were taken yesterday towards a compromise over National Roads Authority (NRA) plans to remove iconic signs in tourist areas.

SOME 300 submissions were received by the Department of Finance over its budgetary plans to axe Section 23-type property reliefs, it was confirmed yesterday.

ONE of the very best opportunities we have to rebuild our economy is to make sure that we do all we can to make Ireland an attractive and satisfying destination for tourists, domestic or international.

THEY had been warned that public swimming pools are nearly always loss-makers, but that did not stop Killarney town councillors from proceeding with a €16 million sports complex, including a 25-metre pool, in 2005.

YOU’VE just arrived at Shannon Airport from Boston on your inaugural trip to the land of your forebears. You pick up your hired car and, within a minute, are facing your first challenge – a roundabout.

“STAYCATION” — the latest buzzword by tourism marketing brains in America — is now being used in the south-west.

THE urgency of restoring the Cork/Swansea car ferry for the 2009 season was highlighted yesterday, as the tourism industry continues to suffer a sharp decline in the south-west.

A LEADING figure in the tourism industry in the southwest has urged new Tourism Minister Martin Cullen to “hit the ground running” as the industry struggled to fill empty beds.

A LEADING tourism figure in the south-west, who yesterday warned it would be a “tough year” as far as the American market is concerned, welcomed a new marketing initiative.

ALTERNATIVES to chips and fizzy drinks will soon be offered to children dining at hotels.

THE country’s most popular tourism region — Cork and Kerry— has been passed over on a Christmas card from Tourism Ireland.

A billion euro upgrade of Dublin Airport was put on hold tonight after a hike in passenger charges to cover the cost of a new terminal was turned down.

PLANNING permission has been granted for a 207-room hotel, which, when built, will be the biggest in Co Cork.

A CRUNCH meeting is set to take place between representatives of 250 hotels and the board of Cork Kerry Tourism tomorrow, amid claims that the tourist marketing body has no strategic plans in place to capitalise on Cork’s success as European Capital of Culture.

CORK hoteliers could be on the verge of breaking away from the Cork-Kerry Tourism agency and going it alone.

TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to leading hotelier Gerry O’Connor, who died in a fall on the MacGillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry on Monday.

A ROW has broken out between hoteliers and Tourism Ireland amid claims the organisation is not marketing Cork enough abroad in the run-up to the 2005 celebrations.