Fáilte Ireland to spend €10m on marketing domestic short breaks

/ 8th February 2022 /

Fáilte Ireland has revealed its strategy for the upcoming year as the country re-opens to tourism in a post-pandemic era.

'From survival to recovery' is a package put together by the tourism body which hopes to encourage people to visit Ireland from abroad, as well as attracting Irish people to remain in the country and take shorter breaks year-round.

Among the plans announced at Tuesday's event is

a doubling of the domestic marketing investment to drive shorter breaks;
further investment in the digital presence of tourism businesses;
four Regional Tourism Strategies for Ireland’s Ancient East, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Dublin and Wild Atlantic Way;
27 local Destination Development Plans;
and plans to reduce tourism’s carbon footprint.

Fáilte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly who said that staffing issues, along with competitiveness, are the industries biggest concerns.

"Staffing and competitiveness are the two most significant challenges facing the recovery of tourism in 2022. The pandemic has had a profound impact on the industry’s skill base, with a mass exodus of workers into other industries that reopened earlier," Kelly said.

He added that the industry is in transition and highlighted that "tourism is a building block for regional balance and a critical contributor to social cohesion. It is essential for creating sustainable communities and a significant generator of jobs in regional and rural Ireland."

Ruth Andrews (left), Chairperson, ITIC; Paul Kenny, CEO, Fáilte Ireland; and Jenny De Saulles, Director of Sector Development, Fáilte Ireland.

According to |Kelly: "The plans we have set out today aim to continue to drive domestic demand with a €10m domestic marketing investment to drive short breaks year-round.

"Looking to the season ahead, we expect a strong recovery in inbound tourism with forecasts indicating that we will regain 83% of 2019’s air passenger capacity by the end of the year."

A major part of the organisation's plan for the coming year will be a multifaceted tourism careers strategy, which it is hoped will address the lack of skills in the industry.

Jenny De Saulles, Director of Sector Development, said competition for skilled workers is at an all-time high.

"So our industry needs to drive immediate changes to retain existing staff and to attract new staff," she said. "The package of supports announced today will help businesses in their immediate recruitment efforts and help them to commit to driving long-term change to make the industry an appealing and rewarding workplace that can attract and retain talent."

With no more barriers to sun holidays, will domestic tourists stick with the Wild Atlantic Way?

Central to this new plan is an Excellent Employer Programme to support tourism and hospitality businesses to demonstrate their commitment to being rewarding and appealing workplaces, that can compete for and retain skilled employees.

Through the programme, businesses will have access to HR and people management training, and the opportunity to become certified as a top employer through an employee survey.

In addition to these measures, Fáilte Ireland will also provide a €10m investment in domestic tourism, enhance digital capabilities of 400 businesses, lead the drive towards a more sustainable tourism sector, develop four Regional Tourism Strategies and administer €50m through further phases of the Tourism Business Continuity Programme which will help sustain strategic tourism businesses in 2022.

Tourism minister Catherine Martin said: "The significant lifting of restrictions was the start of a new beginning for tourism and hospitality. With a more positive outlook for inbound tourism, there is hope that in 2022 we will see real recovery for the sector."

Pics: Maxwells/Fáilte Ireland