SEEKING ways to extend the holiday season and developing tourism in other regions of the country, will be among Bord Failte's priorities over the next few years, the semi state's new chairman, Mr Mark Mortell, has said.

Mr Mortell said aiming to make tourism account for 12.5 per cent of GNP (it currently accounts for around 8 per cent) was a target which the sector should be aspiring to achieve. "We should be setting stretching targets," he stated.

He saw part of his new role as one of helping Bord Failte to set standards for the Irish tourism product "in all its manifestations".

Mr Mortell (35) takes over from Mr Padraig O hUiginn, who will remain on the board. Currently working as marketing manager for, Lifetime Assurance, Mr Mortell has extensive experience in marketing and branding. He previously worked for Guinness, Ballygowan and Mars Ireland.

Mr Mortell said it was important for all sectors of the industry to work together to get the tourism product right, especially as there would be a fall in EU funding post-1999. EU funding had been very important to the sector, he said, adding that a review, now that ERDF programmes were at the half way stage, was currently under way, to see if the emphasis should be switched.

Bord Failte recently announced it was rebranding the tourism product, switching the emphasis from the number of tourists to the spend per head. A former Fine Gael councillor, Mr Mortell was appointed to the board three weeks ago by Tourism and Trade Minister Mr Kenny. He was appointed with the intention of making him chairman when Mr O hUiginn retired from the post.