Westmeath hoteliers have welcomed the launch of a major turnaround plan for tourism by a national coalition of business interests led by the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC ) and the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF ) and including IBEC, Chambers Ireland, and the IFA.
The report, Tourism Opportunity, identifies the urgent action required to reverse the collapse in overseas demand over the past two years and sets out how tourism can play a significant role in Ireland’s economic recovery as one of Ireland’s top indigenous industries. The report was prepared by Tourism and Transport Consult International and Jim Power Economics, working with a group of industry practitioners.
Commenting on the report, Joe O’Brien, chairman of the Midlands branch of the IHF said, “This industry-led plan proposes a bold series of actions, which if followed, can by 2015 sustain 180,000 jobs and create over 20,000 new jobs whilst generating some €6.2 billion revenue for the economy. But we must be bold,” he went on, “and set targets that are well beyond the consensus growth rates forecast for tourism within Europe over the coming years.
“Like the rest of the country, Westmeath has experienced a dramatic decline in visitor numbers in recent years and there are few signs that market conditions will improve in the absence of radical intervention,” says Mr O’Brien. “By implementing the actions outlined today, tourism can play its role as a substantial driver of recovery in the local economy backed up by more creative and targeted marketing in our key markets such as Britain, Europe, and North America.”
