New head to sell Ireland

TOURISM:MORE BRITISH tourists can be persuaded to holiday in Ireland in 2011 despite the recession and swingeing cuts unveiled by the UK government in recent weeks, according to the new head of Tourism Ireland's British division.

Vanessa Markey, given the job of heading up the tourist authority’s promotion in Britain this week, said that despite “current difficulties” tourism in Ireland had considerable further potential which had yet to be unlocked. Tourism Ireland will be hoping she can reverse trends which saw visitor numbers from Britain, Ireland’s largest source market, fall by 15 per cent last year because of unfavourable exchange rates and the recession.

British tourists account for over 50 per cent of all visitors to Ireland and 40 per cent of revenue. The UK market is vital to any recovery in the sector.

Markey, who takes up the role in the new year, is not in a position to outline a detailed strategy for promoting tourism to Ireland but a spokeswoman for the tourism authority said it would to unveil its global promotional strategies for 2011 later this month.