INQUIRIES at Bord Failte offices in Britain have fallen by 15 per cent since the Manchester bombing, the Minister for Tourism and Trade said yesterday.
Daily inquiries at this time of year would be about 1,000, Mr Kenny explained, but they have dipped to 850. However, he said there had been no reports of cancellations.
"There is no doubt that the atrocity in Manchester city centre over the weekend does not help the cause of promoting Ireland overseas," the Minister told a press briefing organised by the Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative (OTMI). Mr Kenny said he was struck by the revulsion expressed in his Mayo constituency at the bombing.
"There are many people from Mayo in Manchester and some of them have done very well there.
"Quite frankly, we will have to consider the impact of the Manchester explosion on our promotional efforts overseas and in particular the marketing activities of OTMI in the UK market," he said.
"The question of devising appropriate strategies to deal with situations like this had already been considered by the OTMI and Bord Failte who, notwithstanding the tragic event in Manchester, will continue to promote and sell Ireland as vigorously as possible on the UK market."
The OTMI budget for 1996 is £6.5 million, of which the tourist industry contributes £1 million, the Government £1 million and Northern Ireland £500,000.
However, the bulk of the funding - £4 million - comes from the EU and this may cease in 1999 when the Operational Programme for Tourism ends.
"We simply do not know, at this stage, whether EU funds will be made available for tourism, and especially tourism marketing, after that date," Mr Kenny said.
He warned the industry that it would have to learn to stand on its own feet in relation to the provision of finds for marketing.
"Frankly, I would like to see a broadening of the industry base... There are many more business concerns out there which benefit hugely from overseas tourists but which make no direct contribution towards attracting them," he said.
Among the sorts of business he had in mind, Mr Kenny added, were some of the major retail outlets.