All-Ireland tourism body launches campaign

The first all-Ireland tourism marketing programme set up under the Belfast Agreement and designed to market holidays in the Glens of Antrim alongside those in the Glen of the Downs was launched in Dublin yesterday.

Tourism Ireland, a new cross-border body, is to spend £60 million (€76 million) promoting Ireland as a safe and welcoming destination.

The new marketing concept is to be "memories not souvenirs", concentrating on the idea of a vivid memory of a magical moment during what could have been a holiday in Ireland.

Some £3.95 million (€5 million) has been invested in new television, newspaper and tactical media advertising in 12 key destination markets overseas. Home marketing will continue to be carried out by Bord Fβilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board within their respective jurisdictions.

The new commercials present stories in vignettes which feature characters enjoying an experience of Ireland, whether the friendliness of the people, the beauty of the country or the relaxed pace of life.

The campaign reflects awareness of the downturn in tourism resulting from the foot-and-mouth crisis as well as the fall in the numbers of US visitors following the September 11th attacks.

But the campaign is also conscious of what it calls our "near-source markets" and the possibility that visitors from these markets may visit Ireland as opposed to travelling further afield.

Some £21 million (€26.6 million) has been earmarked for the 2002 campaign.

The company said it expects figures for 2001 to reveal a decline of about 10 per cent on the 2000 performance.

While the outlook for 2002 is shaky, Tourism Ireland says if the military campaign in Afghanistan comes to a speedy end and there is no recurrence of the foot-and-mouth crisis, there could be a return to tourist numbers at 2000 levels.

The company also predicts there could be above average growth in tourism in Northern Ireland because of the peace process.

One difficulty identified by Tourism Ireland is the loss of about 25 per cent capacity in terms of air seats into Ireland. The company is to encourage tourists - especially those from the UK - to travel by ferry.

The new marketing strategy was jointly launched by tourism ministers Sir Reg Empey and Dr McDaid.

Dr McDaid described the launch of the all-Ireland strategy as "a giant step for the tourism industry."

The two tourism boards have been working together for a number of years, but the 2002 programme is the first formal link-up as a designated North/South body.