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Revised Tourism Plan for 'Hard' Brexit

Tourism Ireland will rewrite its plans for 2019 in the event if a 'No Deal' Brexit, according to ceo Niall Gibbons.

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Speaking at its full-year review , he said its projections for 2019, including 6 per cent growth to €6.5 billion of revenues from overseas visitors, could yet be revised.

“Our plans are predicated on a Brexit deal being done. If that changes, our plan would have to change,” he said..

He indicated that, in the event of a no-deal, tourism policymakers will seek to pivot Ireland away from reliance on the British market, which accounts for more than a third of visitors to the Republic alone, towards the US and other source markets where tourists have “higher spend and longer stays” than UK visitors.

Mr Gibbons said that Tourism Ireland, has conducted extensive research on the prevailing mood among British tourists, and will conduct another survey next month.

Brendan Griffin, the Minister of State with responsibility for tourism,said that Ireland will next year be advertised as a tourism destination on “mainstream tv in Britain” for the first time in several years.

Rosslare ferry faces axe

Irish Ferries is unlikely to operate a service between Rosslare and France next year.

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Irish Continental Group (ICG), says that passengers had expressed a preference for travelling from Dublin.

"Irish Ferries wish to inform our customers that we're unlikely to operate a service between Rosslare and France in 2019," it said in a statement yesterday. "We continue to keep this situation under review.

"Our new WB Yeats ship will operate from Dublin to Cherbourg," it added.

Brendan Howlin, the Labour leader and Co Wexford TD,said the decision to abandon the shortest sea route to France just as Brexit kicks in was "inexplicable".

Junior Transport Minister Brendan Griffin last night said that, given the importance of the service for the South East region, he has asked his officials to "engage with the company".

Swedes seek love in Ireland

Images of Ireland were beamed into the homes of around 1.5 million people across Sweden, last week. A TV crew visited counties Cavan, Louth and Meath during the summ

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er, as guests of Tourism Ireland and Bord Bia. They were filming for an episode of one of Sweden’s most popular dating TV shows, Bonde söker fru (meaning ‘Farmer Searches for a Wife’).

Farmer Per Solberg (centre) and his potential wife Sofie Helmer Öhman (third left) are pictured with William McGrath, Bord Bia (second left) and the TV crew Rasmus Wedim (sound), Emma Reinholdz (assistant), Gosia Stehman (producer) and Ola Magnestam (cameraman), during filming for Bonde Söker Fru in the grounds of Cabra Castle Hotel.

Bonde söker fru' features single farmers meeting a number of potential partners during the show; then, the farmer and his ‘favourite’ partner go on a dream date to a foreign location – in this case, to Ireland. It’s one of the top reality TV shows in Sweden, attracting around 1.5 million viewers each week – with many more fans chatting online about the programme.

'Spa' title for Powerscourt

Powerscourt Hotel and Spa, Enniskerry was named 'Luxury Spa of the Year' at the Irish Beauty Industry Awards at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Spa Director of Powerscourt hotel, Kellie Ann Hayden, commented, “It’s an absolute honour to have won this prestigious award. It’s wonderful recognition for the hard-working team who put so much effort in to ensuring every guest has a truly memorable 5-star experience when visiting the ESPA at Powerscourt hotel.”

Signs of History

Fáilte Ireland will bring to life the history and stories behind some of the oldest towns in Ireland’s Ancient East through a series of newly updated Historic Town trail signs around the region. As part of the initiative, new signs were officially unveiled in Ardmore and Lismore in Waterford, and in Wexford’s New Ross and Enniscorthy.

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Pictured at Lismore Castle are Bernadette Drohan Waterford Council, Billy Duggan Waterford Council, Mayor Declan Doocey, Mealla Fahey Lismore Heritage Centre and Jenny De Saulles Fáilte Ireland.

These are the latest towns to have the signage installed following Leighlinbridge (Co. Carlow), Athy (Co. Kildare), Carrickmacross (Co. Monaghan), and Wexford town where the signs were unveiled earlier this year.