Dublin's tourism body wants to attract another million annual visitors within three years, to restore the capital's place as the third-most popular destination in Europe after Paris and London.
Dublin Tourism chief executive Frank Magee unveiled plans yesterday which would see the city attract 5.5 million tourists each year by 2010 and leapfrog rival destinations Barcelona, Vienna and Amsterdam.
The plan would capitalise on the increasing popularity of city breaks. "We're talking about time scarcity - people aren't taking two- or three-week breaks anymore," said Mr Magee.
Promotions would focus on ways to bring visitors outside the already congested city centre, to places such as DúLaoghaire, the Phoenix Park and the Dublin mountains.
Poor infrastructure that has held the city back was finally being built, Mr Magee said at the launch of the Dublin Regional Tourism Plan 2008 to 2010.
"We've suffered frustration for 10 years, but the good news is that work has started on the convention centre, Terminal 2 has got the go-ahead, the Port Tunnel is now open, the Luas extensions are under way and the road network is improving," he said.
There were still some areas needing improvement, he said. A single pass that works on buses, the Luas and the Dart was essential to help visitors move around once they're here, said Mr Magee.
"If I had a wishlist, my biggest wish would be for integrated ticketing on public transport. It's incredible that we don't have it - it would be so easy, the technology is there," he said.
It would help move visitors out of the city centre, where they are concentrated. Dublin also needed to work on problems with signs for tourists, disabled access and litter, the launch was told.
"We continue to receive negative comments from visitors about litter," said Sam Johnston, a marketing and development executive with Dublin Tourism. Dublin also needed to find ways to bring visitors out of the city centre, said Mr Johnston. Ways to do this could include a golf pass, promoting outdoor pursuits in the Dublin mountains, and advertising the Phoenix Park as "more than just Dublin Zoo", said Mr Johnston. Tourists could be encouraged to walk and cycle in places such as Killiney Hill and Three Rock Mountain.