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Rose Carroll (Cork County Council) with Debbie Walsh and Eilish Gormley from Cobh Heritage Centre at Fáilte Ireland’s annual tourism industry briefing for the South West region in The Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork. Photo: Gerard McCarthy

Confidence in the Irish tourism industry about its prospects for the year ahead is at its highest levels since the current downturn began in 2007, it was revealed on Tuesday at Fáilte Ireland’s annual tourism industry briefing for the South West region which was held in The Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork.

This optimism is also helped by growth in some overseas markets last year, for the first time since the downturn in 2008, particularly traditional in the US, Germany and France.

However, Fáilte Ireland this week stressed that targeted changes will need to be effected in our nearest and biggest overseas market - Great Britain - and the national tourism development agency stressed that a radical change in approach to that market would be necessary this year.

Fáilte Ireland’s CEO, Shaun Quinn said there are many good reasons to expect a pick-up in overseas visitors.

"This is essential as historically our tourism sector has had an over-reliance on the home holiday market which is no longer in a position to guarantee increased revenues. The real action is overseas and that means capitalising on further growth from the US, maintaining our allure in Europe and finally fixing what needs to be mended in the GB market.”

TOURISM IN CORK

Ms Fiona Buckley, Head of Operations for Fáilte Ireland in the South West region, which includes Cork and Kerry, stressed that ensuring the success of The Gathering Ireland 2013 – the single most important tourism initiative ever in the history of the state – would be Fáilte Ireland’s top priority.

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