Madam, - So much is written regarding the problems with Irish tourism. Within the past few weeks we travelled to the UK. We visited the high street shops of W.H. Smith and Waterstones in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Carlisle, Bradford, Leeds and Keighley and checked the travel sections to see how Ireland is promoted. There was not an Irish B&B or hotel guide available; in fact the only outlet for an Irish B&B guide in the UK is at the Irish Tourist Board Office in London.
In the outlets listed, B&B and hotel guides are available for countries all over the world, but not Ireland. We found the same problem in 2001 and 2002 when we enquired about guide availability. There were a few guides relating to Dublin and a guide on "how to buy your holiday home in Ireland".
The membership of the marketing bodies in Ireland pay substantial fees and deserves better performance. We operate a B&B and, particularly since the foot-and-mouth outbreak, we have had many visitors tell us that throughout Ireland, as they visited the tourist office network to seek accommodation, hotels were pushed repeatedly, and little or not mention was made of other sectors.
Limited TV advertising is not sufficient and for the major players in the market to depend solely on the Irish Tourist Office in London to distribute accommodation guides is not satisfactory. The Minister can spend all the millions he wishes on policy and working groups, but the basics must be addressed.
Scotland in September was black with tourists, mostly American, German, French and Italian, and the North of England reports its best ever season. I believe it, I saw the evidence.
Here, we are happy to live on spin. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN KINSELLA,
Creakan Lower,
New Ross,
Co Wexford.