URGENT IMPLEMENTATION OF TOURISM SURVIVAL ACTION PLAN NEEDED

URGENT IMPLEMENTATION OF TOURISM SURVIVAL ACTION PLAN NEEDED  

Labour's Keith Martin has called on the Government to immediately implement the survival actions recommended by the Tourism Renewal Group, and not merely set up another quango to oversee the implementation of the report. 

"The Government commissioned its own report in the crisis facing the Tourism Sector. The document published by the Tourism Renewal Group is a comprehensive strategy which sets out the scale of the challenges facing the sector.  

"We in Westport all know how important Tourism is to our local economy and natinoally it accounts for €1.5 billion of tax revenues and employs over 120,000. The industry is in freefall with 600,000 fewer foreign visitors so far in 2009 compared with the first 8 months in 2008. The drop of more than 123,000 visitors in August, which is a key month for tourism, and the further decline in the number of visitors from Britain – long our most reliable market – are particularly worrying.  

"We need immediate implementation of the action plans in the five survival issues. These need to be implemented to stabilise the industry and ensure its survival into the future. Instead of immediate action from Government we have another quango to be established to oversee implementation.  

"This type of Fianna Fail bluster is not acceptable. The Government's own Report has recommended a survival plan. It is now incumbent on the Government to deliver on the recommendations. 

"We do not need another committee, we need immediate action. Fianna Fáil has become masters at kicking to touch on concrete actions by calling for more reviews, etc. This nonsense must end and we need immediate action to help this industry survive - an industry which is on its knees." 

ENDS.

Keith Martin 086 0691182