Speech by the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., at the opening of the new facilities at the Skylon Hotel, Drumcondra, on Monday 19 November 2007 at 8.00 p.m.
It is a good time to be Irish, to be part of the dynamic Irish tourism industry, and to live and work in Dublin.
And I am sure that it is a sentiment Brian McEniff can identify with - one that has inspired him and his family to further invest in the Skylon Hotel here in Drumcondra. I would like to thank Brian for doing so and to congratulate the McEniff Family on the great range of facilities that the hotel now offers.
The Skylon Hotel is in many respects a symbol of enterprise in the city of Dublin. Built by another great Irish hotelier, P. V. Doyle, it was an early building block in a chain of hotels which were a key element in the tourism infrastructure of Dublin over several decades. Today, the hotel has passed to another distinguished family whose hotel interests stretch from Donegal to the capital and who have also backed their faith and confidence in our tourism industry with continued investment over 50 years.
Hotels play a pivotal role in our society. Not only are they places of accommodation for visitors and domestic travellers, they are also a social hub for communities throughout the country. Over the years, the Skylon has been a gathering place for the local community - a place for informal meetings, for social gatherings and a spot where neighbours and friends can meet. This is particularly true in the case of the family owned hotels which remain the cornerstone of the sector - and long may it continue.
The hotel sector in Ireland is in the process of very significant change. Some landmark hotels have been closed. Some are being replaced by other forms of development. On the other side of the coin, however, many new hotels are opening in Dublin and throughout the country. This year alone, 49 new hotels are scheduled to open, bringing nearly 5,000 new guestrooms to the market.
According to the most recent Fáilte Ireland Hotel Review, the number of registered hotels declined slightly between 2005 and 2006.
However, overall room capacity increased by 6%, reflecting a trend towards larger properties. The survey also painted a positive picture of industry performance, with room occupancy increasing by 2% over the previous year to an average of 64% - the highest level recorded in six years.
Location means so much. And for the Skylon it means that it is ideally placed to serve Dublin Airport, Croke Park and the IFSC, as well as the city centre itself.
Dublin has, of course, now taken its rightful place as a leading capital city within the EU. It is a thriving centre of industry and commerce and a mecca for visitors from all over the world.
The Irish Tourist Industry remains a dynamic driver of our economy and our most important indigenous industry. It accounts for 3.1% of GNP annually. Industry revenues in 2006 increased to €6 billion and employment in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry to 249,000. Last year, we welcomed a record 7.7 million visitors from overseas, our fifth consecutive year of sustained growth. The home holiday market, for its part, recorded further growth of 24% in overall domestic expenditure.
I am pleased to note that tourism is continuing its sustained pattern of growth and is on course to meet the ambitious targets set in the New Horizons programme.
Latest figures published by the Central Statistics Office reveal a strong increase in inbound travel to Ireland for the first nine months of the year, up 4.1% on last year.
The continued buoyancy of the European market reflects the greater diversity of visitors choosing Ireland from an expanded EU. The 0.7% rise in US visitors recorded to September reflects the difficulties we are facing in that market. With the current low value of the US dollar, the American market continues to be challenging but it is encouraging that Ireland is at least holding its own in this key market when compared with other European destinations.
The Government continues to nurture the Irish tourism industry and to promote sustained growth. This year’s Budget for instance provided a record allocation of €154 million for tourism. Funds available for tourism marketing will increase this year to €45 million, while Fáilte Ireland core funding will grow by 8% to almost €80 million.
The National Development Plan provides for a total investment of €184 billion. Under the Tourism Programme which is incorporated into the Plan, a total of €800 million will be invested in the industry over the next seven years. Tourism will of course also benefit from other Programmes in the NDP, which will see unprecedented investment in infrastructure and regional development. Dublin will benefit from many of these projects, including the expansion of Dublin Airport, the new Metro and of course the National Conference Centre.
These are all very positive developments for the Skylon Hotel too. And as you open up this new chapter for this great hotel, I, once again, congratulate you Brian, your family and all the team on your enterprising spirit and your commitment to the Skylon Hotel. May you long continue to be part of this very special community.
Thank you.
ENDS