High prices are here to stay, concede tourist chiefs
As an Oireachtas sub-committee pledged to monitor tourism prices, industry leaders said value-for-money will be a key factor in its 2003 marketing campaigns.
Bord Fáilte's acting chief executive Niall Reddy urged commentators to be cautious on the high prices issue.
Due to Ireland's economic progress in recent years, he said the country was now a high-cost destination.
"Our high cost position is an inescapable fact," he said. "but the way forward is to provide the highest quality of service and value to the customer. If the industry does that, the customer will be prepared to pay."
Mr Reddy acknowledged over-pricing concerns cannot be disguised but urged commentators not to go overboard on the matter.
Following a leaked report last autumn into alleged rip-offs in the industry, Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue initiated a strategic review of issues affecting tourism which grosses more than €5 billion annually.
Mr Reddy accepted it was vital the industry remained conscious of the need to provide both good value and a top class service.
Meanwhile, Dublin Tourism's chief executive Frank Magee also dismissed the capital's over-expensive image. He said figures point to 94% of visitors to Dublin last year being highly satisfied.
However, Deputy Ceila Keaveney, who heads an Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, yesterday warned the industry against over-pricing.
"All interests in the tourist industry must now ensure that over-pricing ends and that all charges are transparent so visitors do not feel they are being ripped off," she said.
Meanwhile, the industry was also told yesterday the challenge for the year ahead was to build on the partial recovery experienced in 2002.
Bord Fáilte, together with the cross-border body Tourism Ireland and Dublin Tourism, outlined their marketing plans to the trade.
Mr Reddy said the industry was looking forward to returning to a sustained growth which was evidenced throughout the 1990s.
Although there was a slight increase in overall visitor numbers last year, the high-spending US visitors sector was significantly down.
Bord Fáilte, it emerged, is to focus on the increasingly important domestic market, north and south, which accounted for a 15% increase in overnight stay figures in 2002.
Tourism Ireland ambitious plans for the coming year aim to increase all-island visitor numbers by 5% on 2002 to more than 7.5 million.
Chief executive of the cross-border group Paul O'Toole said marketing aims are achievable with a favourable external political and economic climate.
Tourism Ireland, he said, is to focus the bulk of its marketing resources and funds on eight key markets Britain, North America, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia and Canada.
It anticipates a 5% growth in the British market along with 4% in the European visitors sector.
