Holiday at Home this summer
The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull on the 21st of March brought about the biggest interference to international travel in over 70 years. The disruption caused many Irish Holiday makers to reconsider their own travel plans and to look into the advantages of travelling at home. Sometimes in Ireland we fail to realise how fortunate we are when it comes to scenery, friendly atmosphere and craic which are to be found throughout the country. I’m fortunate in recent years to have travelled around the world and in every country I have been to the minute I have said I’m from Ireland the first comment they make is about the hospitality and warmth for which we are famous for?
Im sure I am not the only one who has felt the thrill of arriving home after a long journey away to Shannon or Dublin Airport and knowing you’re home. It’s important in this time of difficulty for the tourism industry that we harness this nostalgia and utilise it to lend a hand to the Tourism industry by holidaying at home this year.
In order to play our part in helping the tourism industry Ógra has organised a Holiday at Home Campaign. The reason for this campaign is to show young people that holidaying at home is a genuine alternative for us. In co-operation with tourist groups and chambers of commerce across the country we are embarking on a road trip of the country over the course of the weekend visiting as many counties and locations as we can in this time.
The attractions across the country for which we are famous are second to none. The World Heritage sites of the Giants Causeway, the bend of the Boyne and Skellig Michael are world renowned yet how many of us can say we have been to them all? How many of us can say we have been to any of those sites which are on the proposed World Heritage site list such as the Burren, the Rock of Cashel, the Ceide Fields to name just a few?? I have only been to half of these sites and I intend to visit as many of them as I can this year as part of our campaign.
The government needs to play its part in supporting the Tourism industry. Measures like the increase in Fáilte Ireland’s marketing budget are to be welcomed. The Travel tax should be reconsidered as it acts as a disincentive to travel. At a time when low cost travel is king this puts us at a competitive disadvantage to our neighbours. In addition the Government needs to push promotion of “Ireland” on an all Island basis. It is only by pooling the resources of both Fáilte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourism board that we will be in a position to maximise our resources in promoting Ireland internationally.
The tourism sector throughout the Island needs our help due to decreasing foreign tourist numbers , so instead of travelling abroad this year, why not join with Ógra members and really to get to know your country!
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