Tourism chiefs hoping to attract school pupils
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Ministers have targeted transition year students in a bid to keep the home fires burning in the tourism industry in 2010.
With a dramatic slump in overseas visitors to Ireland, tourism chiefs are depending on greater domestic support to help the industry weather the downturn.
There are about 30,000 transition year students, many of whom enjoy a holiday or study period abroad during the year.
Now, Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe and Tourism Minister Martin Cullen want schools to discover Ireland, and keep the money at home.
They have launched a brochure, developed by Failte Ireland, detailing attractions, activities and sample itineraries.
Rather than the more traditional one-day school tour in Ireland, it includes a range of ideas for two and three night breaks in different regions.
As well as highlighting destinations of educational value, the brochure is also full of possibilities for fun, action-packed adventure breaks.
Campaign
The brochure was produced in response to the Government's Ideas Campaign, which sought suggestions from the public on the country's economic recovery. The Ideas Campaign website received more than 5,000 submissions.
Mr O'Keeffe said by opting for Irish locations for educational tourism, schools will add value to students' appreciation of the indigenous landscape, heritage and culture.
It would also strengthen the domestic tourism market and help economic recovery, the minister said.
Last year tourism was worth €6bn to Ireland and Mr Cullen said at the time of economic challenge, support for Irish tourism activities and Irish tour facilities was important.
Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that in the month of October 2009, overseas trips to Ireland fell by 17pc, compared with the same month last year -- down 110,700 to 551,300.
The total drop in overseas visits in the first 10 months of the year was more than 800,000 -- down from 6.8 million to six million.
- Katherine Donnelly
Irish Independent
