Tourism operators are meeting all this week to plan a survival strategy for the industry.
Meetings were held in Dublin and Donegal today, while further meetings will take place at other venues around the country later in the week. Over 2,500 businesses are expected to take part.
Following the double blows of foot and mouth and the September 11 attacks the industry now faces serious challenges for the year ahead.
Bord Failte says its campaign for 2002 will focus on the promotion of product tourism - including golf, equestrian and angling internationally - as well as the development of the Ireland market north and south.
According to Paul O'Toole, chief executive of the all-island body Tourism Ireland, the key to the programme is the ability to be flexible and responsive to markets as they change. He says there will be a strong emphasis on tactical marketing with precise timing and well directed messages.
Bord Failte says its campaign for 2002 will focus on the promotion of product tourism - including golf, equestrian and angling internationally - as well as the development of the Ireland market north and south.
The conference also sparked off a row tonight between Dublin Tourism and Aer Rianta over a claim of cuts in the number of inbound tourist airline seats.
Dublin Tourism Chief Executive Frank Magee said that 620,000 potential inbound tourist seats have been cut by airlines including Aer Lingus and Delta - while Aer Rianta maintained capacity was not a problem with a net increase of a quarter of a million.
Frank Magee said tonight that he was standing by his claim that Aer Rianta was including non-tourist seats.
Magee said that the occupancy rate for Dublin's 30,000 hotel beds was down 15% from October to December, and he was very concerned about the coming year. He is a supporter of the low cost air terminal plan expected to come to Cabinet next week.
