THE Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Kenny, warned against over reaction by the tourist industry to the London bombing. While it would impact to some extent on the capacity to attract overseas visitors this year, it was important that we do not "talk ourselves into believing that, Irish tourism is facing a crisis", he said at Question Time.
In the immediate aftermath of horrific incidents such as the London bombing there was evidence of a small number of cancellations but he was advised that overall the numbers were insignificant. Some of Ireland's competitors could only benefit if a perception was fostered in the international media that we had suffered large scale cancellations.
The main campaigns in our overseas markets were carried out by the Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative, the partnership between tourist interests North and South. In the aftermath of the London bombing some television advertising was rescheduled in Britain and the US in the interests of reacting sensitively to the situation.