New Tourism Ireland campaign looks to increase the numbers of people taking a holiday here.
Tourism Ireland launch a €30 million marketing campaign.
The TV advertisement will show a magical land of wild horses, carnivals and golf courses where the sun always shines.
The aim is to promote the island of Ireland as a destination for tourists from home and abroad. However, the reality is that for many tourists, Ireland is becoming more expensive. While tourist numbers have remained steady so far this year, earnings have risen by six per cent as a result of higher prices.
Paul O'Toole, Chief Executive with Tourism Ireland, says that visitors get value for money when it comes to the cost of travelling to Ireland by sea and air. He acknowledges that many tourists are surprised by the high prices once they get here.
The government has also decided to increase the lower rate of VAT by one per cent which will have a direct impact on hotel and restaurant prices. This will add to what Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O'Donoghue TD called,
The negative word of mouth caused by the pricing issue.
John O'Donoghue says that Ireland will never be a cheap destination, but it needs to offer value for money to grow tourism numbers.
Visitors will still come here for the history, the scenery and that well marketed Irish friendliness.
The challenge for the Irish tourist industry is to keep tourists returning.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 9 December 2002. The reporter is Robert Shortt.
