Tourism Opportunity’ group’s recovery plan an ambitious and a potential ‘game changer’ for the industry
Issued : Friday 28 January, 2011
The 'Tourism Opportunity' group's recovery plan which aims to halt the decline in the tourism industry is a much needed 'shot in the arm' for the sector according to Labour Party Dáil candidate Arthur Spring. Describing the plan as 'ambitious and a potential 'game changer' for the industry, the plan if implemented could create in the region of 15,000 jobs nationally.
With businesses in the sector particularly hotels and family run B&B's struggling to survive with many jobs endangered, urgent action is needed if the tourism sector is to recover. Cllr Spring said that the next government should adopt the plan and called for political support particularly for the state-backed bank loan guarantee scheme which would encourage banks to provide short-term credit to tourism operators. The loan scheme would provide much needed credit to an industry on the brink. "We must act now to sustain and grow tourism in the Kerry/West Limerick region. Tourism is the corner-stone of the local economy with hundreds of people employed in the sector and this plan provides a framework for sustainable growth in the coming years and complements similar initiatives such as All-Kerry Tourism" Cllr. Spring said.
