Travel Poster "IRELAND" KERRY Traffic 1982

One of the first tourist guide books about Ireland , Arthur Young’s Tour of Ireland, was published in 1780. Many beautiful places were described but if you decidedto visit you had to cover large distances on horseback  When canals were built in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Ireland acquired its first mass transport network. Soon afterwards the roads were improved and it became possible to travel by horse and carriage. By the middle of the nineteenth century a network of rail lines criss-crossed the country and in 1936 air travel commenced between Ireland and England.

The Irish Tourist Association (ITA), which promoted 400 hotels in its first brochure in 1925, marketed the fledgling Irish Free State as a tourist destination. In 1939, Bord Cuartaoíchta na hEireann was established by an Act of the Dáil. This organisation took over from the ITA with statutory powers to register and grade hotels and was the forerunner of Bord Fáilte. In 1955 Bord Fáilte Éireann was created under the Tourist Traffic Act, to develop and promote tourism in the Republic of Ireland .  With each new development came a new wave of tourists. Today Ireland has a thriving tourism industry which contributes in the region of £3 billion to the economy each year.

The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) defines a tourist as: A person travelling to and staying at least one night in a country other than his or her country of usual residence for a period not exceeding 12 months for leisure, business or other purposes. It is evident from this definition that tourists are not just people who come to Irelandprimarily to holiday.  A total of 5.5 million overseas tourists visited Irelandin 1998.  The largest group was from Britainwhere 3.2 million (58% of all tourists) packed their suitcases to visit Ireland. Another 1.3 million (23%) came from Mainland Europe, and North Americaaccounted for 858,000 (15%).  A further 124,000 tourists came from Australia and New Zealand.  The typical visitor spends most of his or her budget on food, drink, and accommodation.  The rest of the money goes on shopping, sightseeing, entertainment and transport.  Of the 5.5 million tourists who visited Irelandin 1998, 2.1 million came mainly for a holiday.  Research by Bord Fáilte shows that holiday visitors are primarily influenced in their choice of Irelandas a holiday destination by the quality of the scenery and the sighstseeing opportunities available. Other important reasons for choosing Irelandare a sense of discovering a new holiday destination, the expectation of a restful and relaxing atmosphere and the opportunity to experience our unique history and culture. Two thirds of holiday visitors use a car while in Irelandinorder to see more of the country.  The ideal holiday for some people is somewhere sunny with nice beaches and warm oceans. Ireland has a different appeal. People come here because they have a strong interest in the countryside and the scenery. They also believe that the people are friendly and it is a safe place to visit. Most are not disappointed and in fact the holiday is usually better than they expected - and this includes the weather!  Many people come to Ireland because theycan fish, cycle, ride horses, play golf or cruise inland waterways. The fact that Ireland cannot guarantee good weather is not a deterrent as tourists are not comingprimarily for sunshine.  Marketing Ireland as a tourist destination and persuading overseas tourists to visit Ireland is a complex task. Ireland , as a holiday destination,is in competition with almost 60 other destinations, each attracting in excess of a million visitors a year, and all trying to persuade travellers to sample their attractions.  In 1996 a new approach to marketing the island of Ireland was launched. Almost two years of research and work was invested in the development of a new brand for Irish tourism. This is called Tourism Brand Ireland (TBI) and is a marketing approach which has strengthened Ireland ’s position in this highly competitive sector.  TBI involves a partnership arrangement between the Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative (OTMI), Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. It has demonstrated how beneficial it is to get both public and private sectors working together.  The aim of TBI is to increase tourism revenue, spread the benefits of tourism throughout the country and achieve greater growth outside the peak July/August season.  

In the past ten years it is estimated that £3 billion has been invested in the tourism sector. The European Union made available over £500 million of this sum inthe period 1989 to 1999 inclusive. The EU funds were used to develop new products and to stimulate marketing and training.