TALKS ARE taking place on the future of the Golden Trekker scheme which provides unlimited free rail travel to older tourists.
The scheme, introduced as a pilot project, issued about 15,000 tickets for free rail travel to over 66-year-olds for travel on main line, Dart and commuter trains between mid-March and December 31st last.
It was developed by Fáilte Ireland and Iarnród Éireann after it was announced in the Budget as a bid to boost tourism numbers.
A four-day unlimited rail ticket is usually worth €100, which means the scheme provided free travel worth about €1.5 million to older visitors. Last month, Iarnród Éireann said its deteriorating financial position meant it could not commit to the scheme beyond 2010. It would consider continuation of the scheme if it received a payment from Fáilte Ireland.
Speaking in recent weeks, Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin said she was working with colleagues in Irish Rail, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to continue the scheme in 2011, “which will have many positive knock-on effects for hotels, BBs and restaurants in all the regions”.
A Department of Tourism spokesman said those discussions were ongoing, “but no decision has been reached”.
Fáilte Ireland said it was most anxious to see the scheme resuming. A spokesman said if there was agreement, the scheme would begin on St Patrick’s Day – the traditional start of the tourism season.
