The tourism industry stands to lose £105 million in revenues this autumn and winter according to the Irish Hotels Federation.
The IHF projects a decrease in visiting American tourists of 200,000 this year, and a further 550,000 next year, with loss of revenues in 2002 totalling £275 million.
In the group's pre-budget submission to the Minister for Finance it calls for the creation of a £20 million Tourism Recovery Fund to promote growth in the sector.
The IHF is also looking for a series of taxation changes, including the reduction of the VAT rate for hotels and restaurants to 10%, and a 25% rebate on local authority charges for hotels which have lost over 15% of turnover in the last three months of the year.
IHF chief executive John Power said 14,000 jobs in the industry are under threat unless fundamental action is taken by the government in its December budget.
