Fáilte Ireland's Second Public Awareness Campaign Launched

This is Fáilte Ireland's second public awareness campaign.  The main objective is to generate awareness among the wider public of the importance of tourism as a key indigenous industry within the Irish economy.  A portfolio of five billboard posters, placed on 200 sites nationwide, for a four-week period, will constitute the campaign.

Announcing the new campaign Minister Cullen said: "In 2007 over 8 million overseas visitors travelled to Ireland while tourism employed some 250,000 people and contributed over €6.5 billion in revenue earnings. These figures confirm the vital contribution of tourism to the Irish economy. It is no coincidence that in 2007 Ireland also topped the Lonely Planet Bluelist survey as the 'World's Friendliest Destination'.

The visitor's holiday experience here is greatly enriched through friendly chat and interaction with people on the ground. Each and every one of us has a role to play in enriching the Irish tourism experience for our visitors."

"Our scenic landscapes are a valued economic asset that also contribute greatly to the success of Irish tourism. The programme for Government contains a commitment to work with Fáilte Ireland in developing sustainable tourism programmes that will protect and enhance the beauty of our countryside. Just as our own lives are influenced hugely by the quality of our environment, so too does the environment impact on the quality of the visitor experience," he concluded.