Tourism Minister visits Dun Laoghaire

THE
Minister for Tourism, Michael Ring, was in Dun Laoghaire last week to see for
himself the tourism potential of the area.

Deputy
Mary Mitchell O’Connor (FG) gave the minister a guided tour of the seaside
town.

“Minister
Ring’s visit allowed us to show him the wonderful tourist amenity we have here
in the form of Dun Laoghaire Harbour,

? she said.

“I explained to him how we
plan to market Dun Laoghaire as a marine and leisure destination for the
future.

“Dun
Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, along with the Harbour Board and the
Business Association are working hard to make this happen.

?

Deputy
O’Connor said the minister also visited the Harbour Board, where he learned
about the plans to create a Diaspora Centre in Dun Laoghaire.

“He
also visited the National Maritime Museum of Ireland and the Dun Laoghaire
Chamber of Commerce,

? she added.

“Tourism
has been a key priority for the Government since it came to office. For example
the visa waiver scheme has made it easier for tourists from emerging economies
to visit Ireland without the cost or hassle of applying for a separate Irish
visa. The reduction in the level of VAT to nine per cent on a range of
labour-intensive tourism services has made goods and services more affordable
for overseas visitors.

“The
Government also recently announced a

?¬9 million overseas tourism marketing
blitz to attract visitors to Ireland over the typically quieter winter months.

“This
is in addition to

‘The Gathering’, which will be the biggest ever tourism
initiative in Ireland, consisting of a year-long programme of arts, sports,
business and community group events in 2013. It is hoped that this initiative
will encourage the Irish diaspora to
come home, ensuring a boost for tourism in Dun Laoghaire and
surrounding areas.

?

Deputy
O’Connor said recent CSO figures on tourism show that the various strategies
are working.

“Visits
to Ireland for the first eight months of 2011 were up by 11 per cent compared to the same period
in 2010,

? she pointed out.

“The
Irish tourism industry is showing strong
signs of improvement. The visit of Minister for Tourism Michael Ring
emphasised how Dun Laoghaire can play a real role in this continuing
national success story.

?