TOURISM leaders have hit out at the new air travel tax, which they claim will cost jobs in hotels, airports, airlines and other sectors of the industry against a background of falling visitor numbers.

A THREE-YEAR slide in industrial job numbers in the Mid-West was halted in 2004, according to Shannon Development's annual report, published yesterday.

Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue has expressed concern over a confidential report which shows that dramatic price rises have left the Irish tourism industry seriously uncompetitive.