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BETTER WEATHER has finally brought an upturn in the tourism industry. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it could take five years to recover the ground lost as a result of high prices and an international recession. Still, a recovery is under way – visitor numbers from our main markets have begun to increase, and the number of Irish people taking their holidays at home has risen.

While celebrating this good news, the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation has also engaged in intensive lobbying designed to protect its members from the impact of recession and from the crazy, tax incentive-driven hotel developments that were encouraged by government. The tourism industry has significant difficulties. Excess capacity may amount to 20 per cent. Profits are down. And some businesses are struggling to survive because of reduced prices and room charges.