Tourism JC 7 November 2001

1.  The fourth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the Tourism sectoral format was held in the Great Southern Hotel, Dublin on Wednesday 7 November 2001. Dr James McDaid, T.D., Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, who chaired the meeting, represented the Irish Government. Sir Reg Empey, MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and Dr Seán Farren, MLA, Minister for Employment and Learning represented the Northern Ireland Administration.

2.  The Chairperson of Tourism Ireland Limited, the North/South tourism marketing company, Mr Andrew Coppel, presented a progress report on developments since the last meeting of the Council in this sector on 29 June 2001. This report covered:

3.  The Chairperson told the meeting that, following an open recruitment process, Mr Paul O'Toole formally took up his position as Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland on 16 July 2001. Mr Coppel also gave an update on the process of recruitment of staff to new positions in the Company as well as on the process of transferring existing staff from Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to the new Company.

4.  Mr Coppel reported on progress in relation to the Company's new premises in Dublin and Coleraine. The Coleraine office will accommodate the company's worldwide Information Technology function.

5.  The Chairperson also reported that the Board of Tourism Ireland had put in place a comprehensive marketing programme for the 2002 season together with the creation of new marketing communication materials on an all island basis. This programme is to be launched immediately after the Sectoral meeting in both Dublin and Belfast. Mr Coppel also informed the Council that a Tourism Marketing Partnership had been formed with members of the tourism industry to assist TIL in its strategic thinking and that this would be supported by two new interface industry representative groups in the North and the South in conjunction with the two Tourist Boards.

6.  Preparation of the Tourism Ireland Corporate Plan has commenced and it is intended that it will be submitted for approval to the next meeting of the NSMC in this sector.

7.  The Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland Ltd., Mr Paul O'Toole, gave the Council a presentation on events since his appointment in July 2001. This covered issues such as market conditions in the tourism industry following the events of 11 September 2001 and the objectives and strategy of the Company for the 2002 marketing campaign.

8.  The Council assured the Chief Executive, Mr O'Toole, of their support in meeting the challenges facing the Company in the coming months and years. They expressed their confidence that Tourism Ireland would deal with the challenges of the current market conditions and play a full role in marketing the island of Ireland as a tourism destination overseas.

9.  The Council agreed that its next meeting in this sectoral format would take place in Northern Ireland in February 2002.

Joint Secretariat

7 November 2001