Sir, - The chief executive of Bord Failte is extensively quoted in your edition of January 12th warning against indifference to foreign tourists becoming "the new norm". He goes on to state that the tendency to take tourists for granted was a "real" menace to the traditional welcome visitors received here.
It is impossible to reconcile these statements with the proposed plan of Bord Failte and the Minister for Tourism to impose a tax on these welcome visitors, simply for the right of visiting our green and pleasant land. Perhaps Bord Failte and the Minister have lost sight of the fact that we need to encourage and promote tourists to visit this country, not tax them.
Ryanair has fought many campaigns over the past decade to lower access costs to Ireland. As a result of our success, tourism and the Irish economy have boomed. Anyone with an interest in tourism must vigorously oppose the plans of Bord Failte and the Minister to introduce a visitor tax.
Ireland is rightly famous for welcoming visitors, not taxing them. -Yours, etc., Tim Jeans, Head of Sales and Marketing, Ryanair.
Dublin Airport.