This article is from page 6 of the 2011-11-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE Céad Míle Fáilte brand of Ireland Inc that’s plied all over the world in a bid to promote the country’s tourism industry is a trademark belonging to a different era.
It’s not Ireland of the Welcomes anymore, but Ireland of the Snarls – that was the damning verdict delivered to the annual Clare Tourist Council conference in Ennistymon by Limerick University chancellor and chairman of the National Roads Authority, Peter Malone.
In what was a stinging rebuke of the Irish tourism, the former chief of the hugely successful Jury’s Hotel Group chain blasted the sector’s high prices, unfriendly staff and lack of organisa- tion that has too many organisations dedicated to the promotion of the industry.
“We have lost the friendliness that we became famous for,” said Mr Malone.
“Staff don’t say please. Staff don’t say thank you. The little touches I learned all over the years in Jury’s, they’re gone.
“You get a lift in any hotel, staff won’t even say ‘good morning’, or ‘good evening’ to you.
“Go into a shop, go into a post office, go in anywhere, we snarl at people. We are not nice to people.
“Unless we stop the rot soon and improve training and standards in our country, the friendliness will not return. We have a long way to go,” added Mr Malone.
And, in continuing his broadside against the industry, Mr Malone said that radical changes will have to be made if tourism is to play its part in Ireland’s ecomonic recovery, a policy that has been specifically targeted by government when it launched it’s Gathering initiative in September – a plan to bring 350,000 extra tourists into country by 2013.
“If you wish Irish tourism to improve, prices must be tackled,” Mr Malone warned the Irish tourism industry during his controversial address.
“The cost of food in restaurants and bars are unreal prices. Even a cup of tea or coffee is often € 2.25 or more. Take children out now at your peril as they are charged as much nowadays as adults.”
Mr Malone also rowed in behind a government move to abolish quangos, throwing his weight behind a more co-ordinated marketing effort in the industry, a policy the could see and end to Shannon Development’s role in tourism marketing.
“When we had one agency, Bord Fáilte, it was much better,” he said. “It is very important that we have one brand for Ireland. With one brand and one organisation, it makes life easier.
“There is great confusion all over the country in the tourism sector as to who is doing what job and the industry has become frustrated,” added Mr Malone.