The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, has urged business and industry representatives in the New York area to support business-related travel to the Republic. The Minister, who is in the US with a delegation from Tourism Ireland, said that Ireland was particularly suitable for incentive travel, meetings and conference bookings.

"This is an €8 billion market segment that is ideally suited to Ireland's tourism industry. The business generated is lucrative. The average spend per person for incentive groups is more than five times that of a regular tourist visitor," he said yesterday.

Mr Paul O'Toole, Tourism Ireland chief executive, said this was a crucial period for Ireland's tourism industry. "We are all keenly aware that our business will flourish only when we see strength in our American visitor numbers," he added.