The Tourism Minister Mary Hanafin has said it is important Ireland is marketed as a good value, good service destination.

A Hong Kong jewellers famous for having a gold toilet has been removed from an official list of shops providing quality goods and excellent service because employees were allegedly rude to customers and blocked visitors from leaving, a report said.

SINGAPORE authorities said yesterday it was too early to say its outbreak of the deadly SARS virus had peaked, and braced the nation for higher unemployment as visitor arrivals plunged and a major regional airline fired staff.

An interim board has been appointed to put a new National Tourism development authority in place. It was announced by the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, John O’Donoghue.