Foreign workers to learn cúpla focail in tourism plan

A HUGE annual festival and lessons for foreign workers in giving a “céad míle fáilte” are among the plans announced yesterday to make Dublin the third most visited city in Europe.

It is hoped that Dublin will overtake Rome, Barcelona and Prague to become the third most popular city destination in Europe by 2010, only behind Paris and

London. The plans were announced yesterday by Dublin Tourism at the launch of its report Making it Happen Dublin Regional Tourism Plan 2008-2010.

More than 4.5 million overseas visitors came to Dublin in 2007, spending a total of €1.5 billion.

Dublin Tourism said recent growth rates indicate that this will increase to 5.5 million foreign visitors by 2010, an annual increase of 6.5%.

They also project that tourists will bring in a total revenue of €1.8bn a year by 2010.

The report said Dublin is the seventh most visited city in Europe, with similar numbers to Barcelona and Amsterdam. It said the biggest challenge to tourism is that Dublin is considered a high-cost destination and threatens “competitiveness and perceived value”.

The report outlines plans to deliver value for money to visitors, and to attract a wider range of tourists.

It said a broader range of visitors could be attracted by developing outdoor and sporting activities. This would include boating and water activities in Dublin Bay and the River Liffey, and walking and cycling in the Dublin Mountains.

“Particular attention will be paid to major events” and the idea of a “major new festival” will be examined.

The report said: “The decline of Irish people working in tourism has raised the question as to how the Irish welcome can remain intact. Tourism Ireland is looking at the people content of its branding and also the option of training foreign workers to be more knowledgeable about Ireland and Dublin.”

Dublin Tourism chief executive Frank Magee said: “50% of visitors to Dublin go on to the regions. It’s critically important for the rest of the country that Dublin does well.”

He said the development of the second terminal in Dublin Airport will be vital as Dublin will become a stop off for people travelling to other destinations.