Satisfaction levels of visitors to Ireland have been "drifting downwards" since the mid-1990s, Bord Fáilte's latest survey on visitor attitudes reveals. The overall satisfaction level remains high but, the tourist board's acting chief executive said, there was ample opportunity to improve in some areas.
Mr Niall Reddy said the introduction of the euro will make price comparisons more transparent for tourists coming to Ireland from eurozone countries. "A number of years ago we started to see some concerns about value for money among German visitors," Mr Reddy said yesterday. "This has begun to filter through to other European markets - particularly the Netherlands and Italy," he added. This is of particular concern to the tourist industry as it is looking to Europe in 2002 to make up the anticipated losses from the US market as Americans cut back on travel to Europe.
The Bord Fáilte survey also found that dissatisfaction with road signs persists as a problem with visitors. Half of the 6,000,000 tourists who came last year drove, either in their own or a hired car. Mr Reddy said as many as one in four expressed some concerns about road conditions or poor directional signposting.
Criticism of negligence with regard to litter has abated somewhat, the survey shows, but one in eight visitors still rate Ireland poorly in this area. The criticism is most pronounced among Europeans. Last year, the foot-and-mouth outbreak and the attendant restrictions on the movement of visitors led to the first drop in tourist numbers in a decade. However, the survey shows that Ireland still largely delivers holidays that match the expectations of visitors.
Mr Reddy said yesterday: "More than three-quarters of visitors last year knew someone who had been to Ireland. Word of mouth is the most powerful promotional tool we have. Every visitor has the potential to act as part of the Ireland sales team - or to discourage others from holidaying here."
The areas most criticised as bad value for money were eating out and drink prices. Car hire and the cost of access to Ireland are now more favourably viewed than five years ago. The survey is based on questionnaires completed by almost 5,000 departing visitors between May and October.
Dan Keenan adds: Ministers from North and South have approved plans for the development of tourism throughout Ireland. The Tourism Sector of the North-South Ministerial Council backed the plans at a meeting in Killadeas, Co Fermanagh, yesterday which was chaired by Sir Reg Empey, the North's enterprise minister. The Minister for Tourism, Dr McDaid, and the North's health minister, Ms Bairbre de Brun also attended.
The ministers were told by Tourism Ireland that the organisation had taken over responsibility for the international marketing of tourism throughout Ireland. They anticipate a 5 per cent growth in tourism in general with an 8 per cent growth for the North for each of the years from 2002 to 2004.
Tourism Ireland's 2002 operating plan involves a marketing programme budget of €27 million (£16.5 million sterling).