News Release -
Tourism Agencies Brief Shannon Region Tourism Industry on Prospects for 2010
Representatives from Shannon Development, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland met with over 100 members of the Shannon Region Tourism Industry today (Thursday 11th February 2010) to outline achievements in 2009 and brief them on prospects for 2010.
Acknowledging that 2009 was a challenging year for Irish tourism Pat Daly, Tourism and Marketing Division Manager, Shannon Development said: “Visitor numbers in the Shannon Region will show a decrease in 2009. In addition to our partnership work with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, and against an extremely difficult global economic background, Shannon Development succeeded in signing 38 major tourism marketing agreements with key travel companies world-wide. These initiatives resulted in 315,000 visitors, over 600,000 bednights and boosted visitor spend in the Shannon Region by over €47 million. During the year Shannon Development undertook focused advertising, e-marketing, travel media familiarisation trips and a range of domestic and overseas tourism trade campaigns. For example our tourism marketing team attended 46 national and international trade and consumer tourism events in nine countries to sell the Shannon Region as a tourist destination to over 2.6 million potential visitors.
In addition to its own initiatives, Shannon Development continued to work with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland to support a range of national and international radio, TV, print and online promotional campaigns. During the year we hosted 12 trade/sales workshops in the Region including the French Connect workshop which brought together key players in the European low cost aviation sector, and a group of senior buyers from the top 20 British coach tour operators.”
Highlighting key priorities for 2010 Mr. Daly said: “In 2010 Shannon Development will continue to build on its network of international tourism contacts in airline vacation companies and with tour operators in all key markets and seek out new business opportunities from national and international tourism markets. In 2010 we have targeted a number of national consumer and retail companies to deliver new tourism opportunities for the Shannon Region.
We will also be focusing heavily on developing international and national legacy tourism and sports events for the Region. Already this year we have secured three major events for Limerick and Clare - Skyfest, the Etape Hibernia international cycling event, and the Great Limerick Run- which combined have the potential to generate up to €8 million in additional revenue. We will be announcing details of further secured events over the coming months. During 2010 we will expand the role of our short breaks website www.shortbreaksireland.ie and we are launching a new discount card offering overseas visitors a 25% discount to a range of tourist attractions in our region. Given the current difficult trading conditions in the tourism economy, Shannon Development will focus on a range of new enterprise and investments supports to help sustain our tourism enterprise base in 2010 and beyond." Mr. Daly concluded.
During a series of presentations and a panel discussion, Fáilte Ireland pointed out that the current indications are that 2010 will be another tough year for Irish tourism as many key overseas markets continue to battle adverse economic conditions. Home market prospects remain unclear although consumer research indicates further potential as Irish people cut back on foreign trips.
Overall, however, tourism operators are more optimistic about the coming season than they were a year ago according to Fáilte Ireland’s regular Tourism Barometer. Heading into last year, only 20% of tourism operators expected business to either hold or improve. This year, 63% expect 2010 to be on a par or better than 2009. A majority expect employment levels in 2010 to be the same as 2009, while less than one in twenty acknowledge the prospect of any increase.
Outlining their priorities for 2010 Shaun Quin CEO Fáilte Ireland said the agency would be concentrating on the following areas: Supporting key tourism businesses; Investing over €20 million under its capital investment programme; Launching its biggest ever home holiday marketing programme.
Tourism Ireland, the organisation responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas, plans to grow visitor numbers to the island of Ireland by +3% this year – attracting an additional 230,000 visitors – giving a 2010 target of 7.85 million. This outcome will mean that tourism to the island of Ireland will grow ahead of the competition. Tourism Ireland’s marketing investment has been refocused, to generate immediate returns for the tourism industry. Investment will be concentrated in Britain, Germany and the US, based on research which identifies these markets as our best prospects. Tourism Ireland will also significantly increase its investment in promoting value offers.
Speaking at the event Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland’s Chief Executive, said: “2010 is about action to stem the decline and begin the return to growth for tourism from overseas. Tourism Ireland, in partnership with our tourism industry partners here in the Shannon region and around the island of Ireland, will focus on getting short-terms wins. Value is a key message for the hugely competitive markets in which we operate; and we are highlighting the uniqueness of a holiday on the island of Ireland – the diversity of our culture and heritage and the friendliness of our people – to secure ‘stand out’ and differentiate ourselves in a very crowded marketplace.”
Photo caption
At the Shannon Region Tourism Industry briefing in the Radisson SAS Hotel, Limerick are; (l-r) Shaun Quinn-CEO Fáilte Ireland, Dr Vincent Cunnane-CEO Shannon Development and Niall Gibbons - CEO Tourism Ireland.
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