THE SOUTH-EAST: This has been a "dire" year for Mr Tony Sweeny, who has been running his Corporate and Heritage Coaster business in Wicklow for 22 years.
His heraldic and heritage coasters and table mats are usually popular with tourist outlets but orders have been scarce this year. For the first four months, business was down 50 per cent on last year.
"It's certainly the worst year in 10 years," he says. "Those are the key months because that's when the orders are made. And now we are being told that it will be July before things pick up."
He knows of two craft shops in the west and north-west which have already closed and says it is "make or break time" for many craft workers.
"No one wants to admit how bad it is, everyone is putting a spin on it," he says. "There's an air of despair and paranoia, especially among the smaller operators and the buyers. The buyers aren't buying. Small operators like me are struggling to survive. There's no safety net for the likes of us."
The ripple effect of the September 11th attacks still surprises him. "It's amazing that planes crash into a building in New York and my little business in Wicklow is affected so badly."
And while Americans are not travelling to this State, they are not travelling very far in their own country either, he says. One of his biggest US customers has not placed even $10 worth of an order yet because tourism spots such as Florida are suffering because of the fear of flying. "Hotels are half empty over there," he says.
Mr Sweeny says Government policy has not been attentive enough and, instead of spending vast sums on a sports stadium, they should be trying to rescue the valuable tourism sector.
Cheap imports from countries such as China are adding to the problems for Irish manufacturers producing high-quality goods. "We are not getting an iota of support. I am so brassed off."
THE WEST:
The effects of the September 11th attacks were felt almost immediately by Peacocks of Maam Cross in Connemara. The business runs a hotel, restaurant and craft shop.
"The week after September 11th, there was no one here," says Ms Emer Killian, general manager. "It was that instant."
The restaurant and shop benefit from a lot of passing trade and this is where the reduction in trade was felt in May.
"The first week of May was good and it's picking up again, but the weeks in between were not good."Hotels often overbook for busy times and then fit in extra guests in neighbouring hotels but there is no possibility of overbooking yet this year, she says. She says the Aer Lingus situation is also worrying for businesses like Peacocks as they get a lot of business from Aer Lingus fly-drive packages.
THE MIDLANDS:
Running a tourism business in Laois can be an uphill battle, and it got much steeper in the past year for Mr Henry Fingleton.
He runs Kilvahan Horse Drawn Caravans which provides a complete travel and accommodation package for visitors.
Visitors travel around the area on a choice of routes and stop off at farmhouses and pubs at night to rest the horse.
The tourists overnight in their caravans.
The business brings up to 600 tourists into Laois every year on seven-day packages.
Henry does not have an American market but he is worried about the German market. Germany is his second largest market, after Britain. Foot-and-mouth had a major effect last year, and now the German economy has provided another setback.
"I'm not overly optimistic of holding our own. Our business is about half of what it was last year. It will be a pretty tough year."
Mr Fingleton believes the Government is paying lip-service to tourism in counties such as Laois which do not have the same tourist profile as other counties.
"It's very frustrating. If I had Kerry after my name, I would do 30 per cent more business straight away," he says.
He made three applications to the Leader programme for a marketing grant and eventually was approved for €1,270. "I spent that much in time and effort doing up the applications," he says.
"The Leader people say their hands are tied by Department of Agriculture regulations. The Government needs to be a lot more pro-active in developing tourism."