Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will advise on the marketing strategy for The Gathering worldwide; when the campaign was launched overseas; the cost of this project to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Reply from the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar T.D.
Aspects of these questions were answered  earlier as part of my response to Deputy Wallace’s  priority question on  the Gathering 2013.  

The full list of committed or pledged events for the Gathering Ireland 2013 is on the www.gatheringireland.com website and has already exceeded 1,300 events and activities.  An announcement of the key headline events will be made in the coming week.

On the Gathering Ireland 2013 generally, there has been a fantastic response to the initiative across the board, from local communities, voluntary bodies, public bodies, businesses and Government.   For example, a special fund of €2million has been made available to support local Gathering events by IPB Insurance Ltd matching a contribution from my Department via the Gathering team. The funds will be distributed via the 34 city and county councils and the applications process is open until 30 November. The key qualifying criterion is the ability of the event to attract overseas visitors.  

Meanwhile, Tourism Ireland  has commenced a  major promotional drive for the Gathering  in markets across the world and has worked with business networks, clans, cultural and sporting associations, Irish Clubs and societies, encouraging them to promote The Gathering to their networks and to mobilize members to organise events in Ireland during 2013.   The second stage of Tourism Ireland’s strategy commenced in  autumn and will continue  into 2013  with a major consumer campaign to promote The Gathering Ireland 2013 in key markets including Britain, the US, Canada and Australia.   Minister Ring, the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and I have attended events during the year to promote the initiative overseas. I saw myself in Australia last week the tremendous response to the call to come and join in the celebrations, from those with Irish roots and those with none.

Tourism is a valuable service export.   Encouraging those from overseas, whether Irish or not, to sample our tourism  offering is not a shakedown €“ any more than exporting other goods and services.   With the hotel and accommodation sector already generating additional employment since this Government came into office, tourism can offer jobs to those who might otherwise face a choice between emigration and unemployment  and I apologise to nobody for seeking to increase that employment still further by investing in the Gathering .   There is also a parallel aim to further strengthen our connections to all of those overseas who have a kinship with Ireland and I saw myself in Australia how much our diaspora values that objective.  

Finally, as well as regular briefings from the project team, the Gathering is on the agenda in many, indeed most, of my meetings, with the tourism industry, transport operators, sporting bodies, other Ministers and indeed overseas representatives.   Even if some are carping, I am determined to continue to promote this unique opportunity for us to show the world all that is best about Ireland and I know the vast majority of Irish people, at home and abroad, will do so.