Call for tourism body in the Cabinet

Tourism stakeholders will have to look at the bigger national picture, rather than purely local interests, if the industry’s potential is to be realised, a conference heard yesterday.

Raymond Kearney, a tourism and management lecturer at the Institute of Technology Tallaght, in Dublin, also said there was no evidence of the vision that would realise the aim of making Ireland the “best small country in the world to do tourism”.

He disagreed with the current messages from the industry — which tell of growth in visitor numbers — that “everything is fine”.

Speaking at the Learn from the Best Tourism Towns Conference in Tralee, Co Kerry, he said towns tended to focus on short-term “wins” rather than a long-term, improved strategic direction for the country as a whole.

National statistics also showed no rise in holiday bed nights from 1999 to 2014, while the international visitor spend in Ireland had only marginally increased in the 12 years from 2002 to 2014.

Mr Kearney said statistics presented a more realistic picture than the narrative being relayed to the general public from tourism officials in Government and tourism bodies.

He also said that the Government was putting far more money into areas such as agriculture, which he said had far lower potential for job creation than tourism.

For instance, the 2007 to 2013 national development plan allocated €8bn for the agri-food sector, but just €800m for tourism.

“Where the Government spends the money reflects its priorities and substantial change is required in its policy on tourism,” said Mr Kearney.

Mr Kearney called for a tourism cabinet within the Cabinet, which would co-ordinate the actions of various ministers impacting on tourism, as well as collaborating the work of a wide range of partners on a scale not previously considered.

A prominent tourism figure in Kerry — Mike Buckley — told delegates Killarney had developed into a leading international destination from humble beginnings in the mid-18th century.

While the area’s lakes, mountains, and woodlands were the prime attractions, he also said Killarney town had improved enormously important in recent years, with upgraded buildings and shopfronts, as well as the planting of shrubs and trees in the urban area.

Mr Buckley, who is the managing director of Kerry Coaches, said that garish plastic, vulgar signage, and the leprechaun image had been removed, and Killarney was now a much more attractive, interesting, and vibrant town.

The tourism industry conference was the first in a series of ‘Learn from The Best’ themed events to be hosted by Tralee Chamber Alliance.

Further conferences are planned for later in the year.