Senior ministers from both sides of the border came together to launch a joint tourism initiative today.
Tourism Ireland Limited is the realisation of close North-South co-operation in the tourist industry envisaged in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
The North’s Enterprise Trade and Investment Minister Sir Reg Empey - whose department embraces the tourist trade - and the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr Jim McDaid, were involved in today's two formal ceremonies to get the project under way.
After an event staged close to Dublin airport this morning, the two ministers then headed to Belfast for a similar function.
Tourism Ireland features a fully integrated cross-border approach to marketing the island's attraction as a holiday destination for overseas visitors.
The development is coinciding with one of the most problematic periods experienced by the tourism industry internationally in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and the global economic downturn.
That dimension was acknowledged today by Tourism Ireland's chief executive, Mr Paul O'Toole, who said: "Next year we are facing a very challenging environment. Tourism is going through very difficult times.
"We will have a very new business-focused and very tactical emphasis on our campaign next year. There is new advertising material both on TV and in print and a new web site.
The promotional plan is being backed by £4m from the governments.
Mr O'Toole said: "What you are going to see is the bringing together of what Bord Fáilte and Northern Ireland Tourist Board have done in the past. These two bodies will continue to exist and will continue to play a huge role in tourism."
Dr McDaid said today's event was significant and exciting in the development of tourism on the island as a whole.
He said: "This has been a traumatic year for the tourism industry with the double setback of the foot-and-mouth crisis earlier in the year and the tragic events of September 11th."
He paid tribute to the "efforts of the political leadership in Northern Ireland to overcome the most recent difficulties in the peace process there".
PA