Munster Express Online

According to Tramore Tourism committee chairman Avery Coryell, its plans for the 2010 season are well underway, with 30,000 local Holiday Maps and 20,000 Activity Guides to be distributed to local businesses, services and accommodation providers from next month.

“At the recent Failte Ireland strategy unveiling for this year they announced an unprecedented marketing spend of €1.9m for the South East region and we welcome this greatly,” enthuses Avery, who runs Beach Haven House with his wife Marie. “Failte Ireland indications for 2010 are that Irish people are less likely to travel abroad in the current climate and this presents a huge opportunity for Tramore this year,” he feels.

“A particularly welcome factor which has come through in Fáilte Ireland research is that Irish people now see Ireland as a good value destination, and are acknowledging the excellent offers and value for money now available in the market – not least here in Tramore.”

As well as working closely with the “brilliant” local Tidy Towns Committee, the Tramore Tourism website – www.tramoretourism.net – is also being upgraded.

“We are currently working on optimizing the site so that it appears higher up the ranks on the Google listing. We would like to appeal to any website owners who would like to link it to their own to please get in touch,” Avery adds.

Further information can be found at www.tramoretourism.net or by contacting Avery Coryell at 051-390208 or averycoryell@eircom.net

‘Ugly’ 2009

Fáilte Ireland chairman, former Waterford Wedgwood CEO Redmond O’Donoghue, said last month that following a very difficult 2009, the Irish tourism industry is “relatively more optimistic” about its prospects for this year, with almost two thirds of operators expecting that business will be “similar or better”.

He conceded: “The downturn in international tourism witnessed over the second half of 2008 accelerated during 2009 and made for an ugly year of trading for many businesses.” However, “it is hoped that 2010 will be ‘the last tough year’ in what has been the most challenging cycle that Irish tourism has experienced. Businesses successfully trading through 2010 will have proved themselves resilient and capable of taking full advantage of the inevitable global economic upturn,” he asserted.

Tourism revenue declined by almost 17% in 2009 to €5.2 billion – its lowest level since 2004, reflecting difficult trading conditions in key overseas markets, most notably Britain and the US, and intense price competition within the accommodation sector, particularly hotels.

The number of overseas visitors travelling to Ireland fell by 12% and, as expected, domestic trips within Ireland are estimated to have declined by about 5%.

Overall profitability was well down across all accommodation sectors, with 94% of hotels stating that their average room yield dropped. Room occupancy was down 4% in 2009 and some estimates pointed to average room rates being down by as much as 20%.

The Bacon Report on excess capacity in the hotel sector “confirmed a widely held view that the sector had expanded at an unsustainable rate over the course of the last decade”. A total of 40,000 hotel rooms in 2000 had grown to over 60,000 by the end of 2009.

“There are signs that a market-led adjustment which will reduce this over-capacity is now getting underway. This adjustment however will be a slow one, and it will certainly not be without pain,” Mr O’Donoghue admitted.

But he believes “successful steps taken by individual businesses in 2009 to cut costs substantially paid off and have put the industry on a stronger footing than a year ago”. That said, “many businesses are now expressing deep concern about the continuing high cost of local authority charges, energy and insurance,” he added.

Fáilte Ireland is investing over €20m in marketing tourist attractions, activities, sporting and cultural events and has also launched its biggest-ever home holiday marketing programme. The domestic market now accounts for 65% of business in the intensely competitive hotel sector.

Summing up, Mr O’Donoghue – who was appointed by Tourism Minister Martin Cullen – emphasised that “although the year ahead will be tough, there are some comforting signs” – though he warned operators: “There is no guarantee that those who stay at home will holiday at home and it is up to ourselves and the industry to provide the necessary incentives.”

[- Jamie O’Keeffe]

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