Board appointed for new tourism authority

The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, has appointed the interim board of the State's new tourism development authority.

The group will have the job of setting up the authority, which is to merge the functions of Bord Fáilte and CERT, before the start of next year's tourism season.

The move follows the establishment of Tourism Ireland, the all-island agency now charged with marketing Ireland as a tourist destination.

The interim board will be chaired the former chief executive of Forfás, Mr John Travers, and also includes the chairman of Bord Fáilte, Mr Noel McGinley, and the chairman of CERT, Mr Eamonn McKeon.

Other members include Bord Fáilte directors Mr Noel O'Callaghan, Ms Bernadette Gallagher, and Mr Patrick O'Donoghue; CERT council members Mr Terry McEniff, Ms Susan O'Donohoe and Mr Frank Fell, and an assistant secretary at the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr Paul Bates.

The Minister said the appointment of the board signalled his intention to accelerate reform of the State's tourism agencies at a moment of "challenge" for the industry.

"It is time to reassess, reposition and reform in order to avail of the potential of the changing marketplace," Mr O'Donoghue added.

Bord Fáilte was established in 1955 to promote tourism in Ireland.

CERT, meanwhile, was set up in 1963 to co-ordinate the education, recruitment and training of personnel for the tourism and catering industry.

With the establishment of Tourism Ireland, Bord Fáilte lost about half its staff but retains a number of functions, including marketing the State as a venue for special- interest tourism, and attracting major sporting events here, such as the Ryder Cup.

The national tourism developement authority is a working title for the new, merged body.

A group set up last January to draw up an implementation plan for the authority has suggested four possible titles: Tourism Development; Tourism Development Ireland; Fáilte Ireland, and Welcome Ireland.