A new €1.5 million programme to boost tourism in the mid-west in the new year will put a renewed focus on activity holidays. The idea was based on feedback which showed that such a holidaymaker was "a fairly durable animal", according to Mr John King, Shannon Development's director of heritage and tourism.
"They are much more tuned into where they are going to go and they are less put off by international trends. An aviation crisis or a security crisis does not seem to impact them as much. People who come to Ireland to fulfil a lifetime ambition to see it as part of an ethnic linkage can easily decide to leave it for a year."
The series of initiatives was put together by the Shannon and the West Tourism Action Force, a grouping of tourism interests formed in October to counter an expected downturn in tourism in the new year. As part of the initiative, 400,000 brochures aimed at the home market will be distributed in a Sunday newspaper in January. A further 200,000 "Daily Adventure" guides will be distributed. An Internet site featuring changing value holidays will also be set up.
An Internet-based "travel media resource centre" is being developed for travel writers. Mr King said the promotion of web-based information was an effective way of getting into major markets.
"The consumer market in north America is too expansive for mail drops or advertising." He said expenditure on the marketing drive was about double what it was last year, "reflecting the fact that we are under pressure".
Mr John Aherne, of Southwest Walks Ireland, a Tralee-based company, said the Internet was an essential tool for attracting walkers. "The activity holiday is the fastest growing segment of the American market." Walkers who would otherwise have travelled to India, Nepal or Pakistan in 2002 may now decide to try a European country. There may also be a euro curiosity factor where holidaymakers want to experience another euro-zone state.
"I think there will be a great opportunity for us. The indications from Europe are that they will look favourably on Ireland. The novelty will have worn off by 2003."
"A country should work on its strengths and our strengths are the countryside, the greenness and the openness, and the Celtic history attached to it." Mr King said the national promotional response from Bord Fβilte and Tourism Ireland, the new North-South tourism body, would be critical to the success of next season.
The programme also sets out the need for an intensified public relations campaign in Britain and the US including attendance at 60 trade shows and promotion events, starting in Dublin, Belfast and Cork next month.
"We will be taking stands at each of those holiday fairs, promoting the Shannon region and the west of Ireland." People were increasingly taking up to three holidays a year, some or all of which could be taken abroad. The euro's introduction would increase competition by introducing price transparency across Europe. "The home holiday and the short break did help in 2001 to offset some of the downturn from international markets."
Mr Pat Crowley of Abbey Incentives, which services the overseas group corporate market, said the reduced access to Shannon Airport would cripple his business. "France is a particularly strong market traditionally but the reality is that without any service from Shannon, everywhere from Kilurane to Sleaford is cut off from that market."