This article is from page 25 of the 2011-02-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 25 JPG
A NEW blueprint to revitalise Ireland’s tourism product has been hailed as the way forward for the industry in the county, the hotel industry in the county has told The Clare People this week.
The chairman of the Shannon branch of the Irish Hotel Federation, Michael Vaughan, has backed the broadband coalition that includes the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC), the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), IBEC, Chambers Ireland and the IFA to turn Irish tourism around over the next four years.
He made his comments on the back of the launch of a major report – Tourism Opportunity: driving economic renewal – that identifies the urgent action required to reverse the collapse in overseas demand over the past two years.
And, according to Vaughan the new plan also sets out how tourism can play a significant role in economic recovery as one of Ireland’s top indigenous industries. The report was prepared by Tourism and Transport Consult International and Jim Power Economics, working with a group of industry practitioners.
“This industry-led plan proposes a bold series of actions, which if followed, can by 2015 sustain 180,000 jobs and create over 20,000 new jobs whilst generating some € 6.2 billion revenue for the economy,” said Vaughan.
“But we must be bold and set targets that are well beyond the consensus growth rates forecast for tourism within Europe over the coming years. Like the rest of the country, Clare has experienced a dramatic decline in visitor numbers in recent years and there are few signs that market conditions will improve in the absence of radical intervention.
“By implementing the actions outlined today, tourism can play its role as a substantial driver of recovery in the local economy backed up by more creative and targeted marketing in our key markets such as Britain, Europe and North America,” Mr Vaughan added.