The western region stands to lose £23 million during next year's tourist season as a result of cuts in flights through Shannon.
This bleak forecast was presented to two Government ministers and to regional airport and tourism representatives at a meeting in Galway this week. The meeting was called to discuss the potential crisis facing the tourist industry.
A new west-coast tourism alliance was established at the gathering, under the chairmanship of Ms Mary Bennett, to push for low-cost air access to the region.
The meeting was convened by the Minister for the Marine and Galway West TD, Mr Frank Fahey, who said that "Dublin decision-making" is not now necessarily in the best interests of the west.
The changed economic climate called for "radical action" and the region must develop its own strategy to deal with a forecasted decline in tourism next year.
Also attending were the Minister for Arts, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, and representatives of Aer Rianta-Shannon, the regional airports stretching from Kerry to Donegal, Shannon Development and regional tourism authorities, including Ireland-West and North-West Tourism.
The meeting was told Shannon had already lost a projected 10,500 seats per week during the 13-weeks of next summer's season, and this amounted to lost revenue to the west region of £23 million. The calculation is based on estimates that each group of 3,000 visitors spends £1 million a week.
Mr Fahey said it was "timely to look at the advantages of giving Aer Rianta-Shannon greater independence and flexibility in running Shannon airport".
The Minister identified high airport charges as a problem, and said a "low-cost hub in the west" must now be developed.
