IRISH HOTELS FEDERATION

Transcription

1 IRISH HOTELS FEDERATION SUBMISSION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, PLANNING, COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ON THE NATIONAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK IRELAND 2040 OUR PLAN MARCH 31 ST 2017

2 1. INTRODUCTION The Irish Htels Federatin (IHF) welcmes the pprtunity t engage with the Gvernment n the preparatin f the Natinal Planning Framewrk Ireland 2040 Our Plan, which will prvide the framewrk fr future develpment and investment thrughut the cuntry based n shared natinal develpment gals. The IHF, funded in 1937, is the natinal representative rganisatin f the htel and guesthuse sectr in Ireland, representing the interests f ver 1,000 businesses. As a key stakehlder in Irish turism, we wrk with ur industry partners t ensure the right cnditins are in place fr turism t grw and prsper, thereby cntributing t recvery and jb creatin in the ecnmy. Turism is ne f Ireland s largest indigenus industries and is essential fr Ireland s ecnmic wellbeing. It is a majr surce f emplyment generatin acrss the entire cuntry and is f enrmus imprtance t many areas with an therwise weak ecnmic base. As a result, turism develpment has a very psitive influence n reginal develpment by helping t diversify emplyment ptins and stabilise rural and reginal ppulatins. Having supprted the creatin f ver 50,000 new jbs during the last five years, turism nw emplys mre than 220,000 peple thrughut the cuntry equivalent t 11% f ttal emplyment. In 2016, turism generated ttal revenues f 8.25 billin fr the ecnmy, made up f 1.76 billin in dmestic turism revenue and 6.49 billin in freign exchange earnings and carrier receipts. Overall, turism accunts fr 4% GNP. It cntributed an estimated 1.9 billin in taxes t the exchequer last year. With almst 60,000 peple directly emplyed by htels and guesthuses acrss every twn and village, the htels sectr plays a critical rle in cntributing t grwth in turism and sustaining lngterm ecnmic prsperity in every village, twn and cunty. The recvery in turism has been underpinned by a strng strategic fcus by the Gvernment and state agencies wrking clsely with industry stakehlders t enhance the attractiveness f Ireland as a turism destinatin. Key initiatives have included plicy measures such as the 9% turism VAT rate, which has brught Ireland mre clsely in line with turism VAT rates in ther Eurpean cuntries with which we cmpete. This has made us mre cmpetitive when marketing Ireland internatinally. Other imprtant measures intrduced in recent years include the zer rate air passenger tax and the liberalisatin f the visa regime fr visitrs frm selected markets. Given the vital ecnmic rle played by Irish turism, it is essential that ur industry remains at the heart f natinal ecnmic plicy and aligned with the bjectives f the Natinal Planning Framewrk (NPF). Our submissin sets ut key areas f strategic fcus fr turism and prpsals fr harnessing the industry s full ptential as an engine f lng-term ecnmic grwth. Page 1

3 Visitr ftfall (millins) 2. NATIONAL OVERVIEW OF IRISH TOURISM The IHF supprts the increased fcus n the reginal dimensin f natinal plicy acrss Gvernment Departments and State Agencies. As utlined in the NPF psitin paper, Reginal Assembly and Lcal Authrity areas have an imprtant rle t play in the delivery f natinal planning plicy and effective reginal develpment that maximises the capabilities f each regin. This is particularly relevant frm a turism perspective given the intercnnected nature f investment in turism prduct develpment and the reginal verlap with respect t spatial planning and transprt infrastructure. Ireland s turism destinatins can bradly be categrised by three types f area: 1. Established turism destinatins, including large urban areas and turism htspts. These include cities such Dublin, Crk and Galway, the Mid West regin and twns such as Killarney and surrunding areas. 2. Develping turism areas such as ther parts f the West cast, high-amenity areas clse t large cities and inland areas assciated with water based recreatin. 3. Underdevelped turism destinatins such as rural areas with ptential fr further turismbased develpment. Gegraphically, turism activity and revenue generatin is mainly cncentrated arund Dublin which, as the capital city, acts a majr gateway fr visitrs as well as the West cast and Suthern Regin. 8.0 Visitr Numbers (2015) Dublin East & Midlands Suth-East Suth-West Shannn West Nrth-West Page 2

4 Turism Split (%) 8% Dublin 15% 8% 19% 33% 9% East & Midlands Suth-East Suth-West Shannn West Nrth-West 8% While Irish turism has achieved strng grwth in recent years fllwing the dwnturn, cntinued grwth cannt be taken fr granted. It requires lng-term investment, bth in terms f ur turism prduct and ur turism infrastructure. We are an island destinatin and face sme unique challenges in terms f access and cmpetitiveness. S, it is vital that we have a turism strategy in place that delivers sustainable, lng-term grwth that cntinues t benefit the lcal ecnmies and the cmmunities in which turism businesses perate. A majr bjective fr the turism industry is t braden Ireland s turism base and achieve a greater distributin f visitrs thrughut the cuntry, including t regins which have been underdevelped but have significant turism ptential. Success in this area will require nging investment in rder t fully harness Ireland s turism resurces and cater fr ur target market segments. This is particularly true fr turism utside the key urban areas, which is mainly rural in nature. Anther key bjective is t extend the turism seasn and achieve a mre balanced spread f activity thrughut the year. Substantial prgress is nw being achieved with the rllut f initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland s Ancient East and Dublin A Breath f Fresh Air, demnstrating the critical imprtance f cntinuusly rejuvenating ur turism prpsitin and prviding a greater range f cmpelling reasns t visit: Wild Atlantic Way: the wrld s largest designated castal turing rute, spanning frm Dnegal t Crk. (Regins: Nrth West, West, Shannn, Suth West) Ireland s Ancient East: shwcasing the culture and ancient heritage east f the Shannn, utside f Dublin. (Regins: East & Midlands; Suth East; parts f Nrth West) Dublin A Breath f Fresh Air: psitining Dublin as a vibrant capital city nestled alngside muntains and the seas. (Regins: Dublin and surrunding areas) Page 3

5 Reginal breakdwn f turism activity visitrs and turism revenue (direct spend) Eastern and Midland Regin Overseas Visitrs* Visitrs frm Island f Ireland** Overall Dublin Visitrs 4,937,000 1,990,000 6,927,000 1,726.2m (40.5%) 345.4m (16.6%) 2,071.6m (32.7%) East & Midlands Visitrs 922,000 1,542,000 2,464,000 Ttal : Suthern Regin 323.7m (7.6%) 2,049.9m (48.1%) Overseas Visitrs* 268.9m (12.9%) 614.3m (29.6%) Visitrs frm Island f Ireland** 592.6m (9.3%) 2,664.2m (42.0%) Overall Suth-East Visitrs 876,000 1,364,000 2,240, m (6.1%) 267.7m (12.9%) 526.6m (8.3%) Suth-West Visitrs 2,104,000 1,840,000 3,944, m (18.6%) 438.4m (21.1%) 1,230.2m (19.4%) Shannn Visitrs 1,148, ,000 2,038,000 Ttal : 366.8m (8.6%) 1,417.5m (33.2%) 138.6m (6.7%) 844.7m (40.7%) 505.4m (8%) 2,262.2m (35.7%) Overseas Visitrs frm Nrthern and Western Regin Overall Visitrs* Island f Ireland** West Visitrs 1,590,000 1,628,000 3,218, m (13.5%) 368.9m (17.8%) 943.4m (14.9%) Nrth-West Visitrs 694,000 1,362,000 2,056,000 Ttal : 224.1m (5.3%) 798.6m (18.7%) 248.6m (12%) 617.5m (29.7%) 472.7m (7.5%) 1,416.1m (22.3%) Ttal (natinal): 4,266m 2,076.5m 6,342.5m Surce: CSO/Fáilte Ireland NISRA/Central Bank f Ireland *excluding carrier receipts (estimated at 1.7 billin) **including visitrs riginating frm Nrthern Ireland Page 4

6 3. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH NPF The internatinal turism industry in which we perate is exceptinally cmpetitive and Ireland fights hard fr every visitr and turism eur earned. It is therefre vital that we enhance ur investment in turism prduct develpment and capacity s that ur ffering keeps pace with glbal cmpetitin. The NPF prvides an pprtunity t ensure that psitive utcmes arising frm turism grwth are shared thrughut the cuntry, thereby supprting emplyment ptential, achieving effective reginal develpment and encuraging bth rural and urban regeneratin t address decline. We are an island destinatin and face sme unique challenges in terms f access. Nt nly d we need t invest in giving peple cmpelling reasns t visit ur shres, but we need t invest in turism access in terms f cst-effective internatinal access via prts and airprts as well as lcal access thrugh rad and rail infrastructure. Fr each categry f turism area utlined abve, specific spatial respnses are required in rder t ptimise the cntributin f the sectr t effective reginal develpment - playing t the strengths f each regin, while prtecting the assets that make these areas attractive fr visitrs. The bjective shuld be t enhance and braden the number f turism lcatins, thereby increasing the attractiveness f rural areas and the sustainability f twns and villages as places t live and wrk. Effective respnses shuld include addressing infrastructural bttlenecks, prmting ff-seasn activity t spread demand, augmenting the capacity f develping turism areas, expliting pprtunities in turism niches and building upn underdevelped lcatins where parallel investment in transprt infrastructure is increasing accessibility frm majr ppulatin centres. Fr example, there are strng pprtunities fr us t expand turism linked t: Agriculture and fd alng with ur green brand, develping fd trails that celebrate the diversity and quality f the native prduce; Explit the synergies between turism and sprt, particularly between rural turism and the GAA; Leverage cnvergence between turism and ther areas f enterprise, such as film, fd and arts; Greater capital investment in facilities fcused n the great utdrs walking, hiking, cycling, bating, adventure, equestrian and wilderness trails. A key challenge fr Irish turism, hwever, is the inadequate levels f investment by the State in turism infrastructure and prduct develpment. Additinal investment will be required if turism is t cntinue t grw, increase jbs, and prvide an ecnmic stimulus natinwide. As part f a lngterm planning strategy, visibility f turism capital funding shuld be prvide ver five-year perids t enable mre efficient plicy implementatin. Page 5

7 4. NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY PRIORITIES Examples f key natinal turism plicy pririties are set ut belw: Wild Atlantic Way Cntinue t invest in grwing the Wild Atlantic Way as a majr turism attractin. Invest alng the rute in strategic visitr pints linked t the wider lcal cmmunities t entice visitrs t spend mre time explring their surrunds. Greater fcus n grwing turism activity in the nrthern half f the Wild Atlantic Way t explit capacity pprtunities. Allcate resurces t manage turism activity in the suthern half f the rute, particularly where cngestin r vercrwding may in time detract frm the verall visitr experience. Ireland s Ancient East Harness the brand prpsitin f Ireland s Ancient East t repsitin rural areas in the east and suth frm transit and day-tripping znes t destinatins that attracts vernight visitrs. Develp a number f turism hubs in the regin with critical mass t drive turism t the surrunding twns and villages. Dublin A Breath f Fresh Air Encurage visitr flw utside the city centre by incrprating links t the sea and muntains as key elements f the Dublin visitr experience. This will require the prvisin f better access and transprt t the Dublin and Wicklw muntains in particular if this is t succeed. Address the current accmmdatin capacity issues in Dublin City by ensuring that practive planning plicies are incrprated t all planning plicies at bth natinal and lcal/ City level. Shannn Turism Crridr Immense ptential exists t establish a turism crridr alng the Shannn River frm suth Ulster, thrugh the midlands and t nrth Munster taking in 11 cunties (Cavan, Leitrim, Lngfrd, Rscmmn, Westmeath, Offaly, Tipperary, Galway, Clare, Limerick and Kerry). This is an excellent example f an underdevelped rural destinatin with largely untapped turism ptential that culd have enrmus reginal benefits. The initiative wuld emulate the successes f the Wild Atlantic Way and fcus n Ireland s lake lands and slw turism prpsitin, including walking, cycling and bating. It wuld link in with agriculture and fd (alng with ur ec-turism / green brand), prmte healthy turism with whlesme fds and wellbeing activities such as the explratin f natural habitats and the great utdrs. It wuld include the Shannn lakes and Lughs Allen, Ree and Derg while encmpassing twns such as Carrick-n-Shannn, Athlne and Killale. The area wuld encmpass existing blueway turism amenities such as the waterway and waterside rutes thrugh Leitrim and Rscmmn. It wuld take in greenway walking and cycling rutes such as that linking Mullingar and Athlne and walking trails in the Slieve Blms, Lais and Offaly as well as arund Lugh Derg. The turism initiative, which requires further planning and feasibility assessment, wuld achieve a key bjective f the NPF by prviding effective reginal develpment that maximises the capabilities f the Shannn crridr, its existing turism resurces and natural amenities. Page 6

8 Other Natinal Turism Plicy Pririties Reasns t visit: Prtect and prmte the quality, character and distinctiveness f the Irish landscape, the sense f place and culture that make Ireland authentic and attractive t visitrs. Greater investment in infrastructural prjects with lng-term fcus supprtive f cultural, artistic and leisure activities. Supprt the develpment f walking and cycling trails, greenways and public transprt hp- n hp-ff services which perate between turist attractins as well as nearby twns and villages. Develp schemes t encurage landwners t supprt turism thrugh greater access t walks and trails. Develpment f Cillte and ther state land int sustainable turist resurces. Enable greater access t the castline, islands and marine waters where apprpriate Given the success f the Cnventin Centre Dublin in attracting increased business and cnference turism t the capital, ensure the remval f any barriers t prgress n ther cnventin and cnference centre facilities such as in Crk, Galway and the Mid-West. Access and infrastructure: Given the success f initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way, carry ut a review f the entire reginal rad netwrk and transprt infrastructure frm a turism perspective. Capitalise n pprtunities t develp increased air access int Dublin, Crk and Shannn airprts aligned with turism infrastructure investment. Explre the pssibility f including majr reginal airprts in the TEN-T Cre netwrk, which brings tgether public and private resurces and cncentrate EU supprt frm the CEF (Cnnecting Eurpe Facility). Explre the feasibility f develping high-speed rail access between Dublin and ther majr cities such as Crk, Belfast and Limerick. Access t high-speed bradband is essential fr ur industry t innvate and attract visitrs. Hwever, the current quality f bradband is unsatisfactry in many rural areas, which detrimental t mdern day turism and visitr experience. This requires substantial investment in the rllut high speed fibre internet thrughut the cuntry. Data and statistics: Establish mre cmprehensive and timely industry data fr enhanced understanding f turism perfrmance and its ecnmic cntributin. Page 7

9 5. EASTERN AND MIDLAND REGION - TOURISM POLICY PRIORITIES Examples f key turism plicy pririties are set ut belw fr the Eastern and Midlands regin: Ireland s Ancient East Further develp this turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr parts f the East & Midlands Shannn Turism Crridr Explre pprtunities t develp this future turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr the East & Midlands Dublin Airprt Dublin Airprt is f critical natinal and reginal imprtance as an internatinal gateway int Ireland. Its cntinued grwth is vital fr the ecnmy and, as such, capacity challenges such as the need fr a new runway and third terminal must be given the utmst pririty. Onging investment in effective transprt t and frm the Dublin Airprt is a necessity t ensure the airprts efficient peratin as cngestin presents significant risk t its functinality. Pririty must be given t develping a high-capacity, reliable and frequent public transprt service t Dublin City Centre. As the capital city, the fcus shuld be n cmpleting the rail cnnectin frm the city centre t the airprt. Imprved public transprt netwrk cnnectivity at a natinal level. Dublin Enhanced public transprt thrughut the city and greater Dublin area. Further develp the Dublin Breath f Fresh Air initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr Dublin and surrunding area. Prgress Metr Nrth mre rapidly than currently planned. Supprt expansin f Dublin Prt in cnjunctin with greater transprt cnnectivity with Dublin City. Intermdal public transprt initiatives, such as Bus Rapid Transit, e-hubs and park and ride facilities t assist in reducing cngestin. Explre the feasibility f a Dart undergrund. Wicklw Develpment f greenways and Blueways. Scheme fr landwners willing t allw parking n their land in Glendalugh. Measures t reduce rush hur traffic times n the N11. Waste water treatment plant fr Arklw, ne hur frm Dublin and raw sewage still pumped int sea. Page 8

10 6. SOUTHERN REGION - TOURISM POLICY PRIORITIES Examples f key turism plicy pririties are set ut belw fr the Suthern regin: Wild Atlantic Way Further develp this turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr the Shannn and the Suth West. Ireland s Ancient East Further develp this turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr the Suth East. Shannn Turism Crridr Explre pprtunities t develp this future turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr the Suthern Regin. Crk Alignment with the Crk 2050 strategy: Upgrade f Crk's transprt netwrk, the implementatin f strategic rad prjects and the develpment f the City Dcks and Tivli areas. Mechanisms t prtect and enhance existing and prpsed bus rutes, and Greenway rutes fr walking and cycling. Prmte the ptential f twns, village and rural areas utside Metrplitan Crk s as t cntribute t the successful develpment f the regin. Develp the Crk t Slig rad rute as part f the natinal rad infrastructure. Additinal investment t maximise Crk s turism ptential in relatin t the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland s Ancient East. Crk Airprt Enhance Crk Airprt s capacity t act as a turism gateway t the Suthern Regin, ffering significant grwth pprtunities fr business travellers and hlidaymakers. Supprt grwth in internatinal cnnectivity t Crk Airprt by prviding the infrastructure necessary t expand the range f destinatins directly served by the airprt. Invest in upgrading the N27 Crk-Crk Airprt link. Rad infrastructure Develpment f an Intercity Mtrway between Limerick & Crk. Upgrade: Dunkettle Rundabut, the N28 and the N24. N25 Crk-Waterfrd inter-urban rute. Imprved signage alng Shannn Estuary, particularly access rutes and driving lps. Kerry Bypasses are required fr Adare/Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale (C Limerick) as well as Macrm (C Crk). Additinal supprt and funding is required t increase cnnectivity int Kerry Airprt and facilitate additinal cnnectivity int the regin. Imprved signage with particular emphasis n access rutes. Page 9

11 Limerick: Develpment f a Cnventin Centre in the Mid-West t help attract sme f the larger Cnferences t the Mid-West. Alignment with the aims f Capital Limerick which seeks t prmte and re-establish the city and its envirns as ne f the state s prime ecnmic, cultural and strategic hubs. Shannn Airprt Cntinued develpment and supprt f Shannn Airprt t facilitate further grwth and air cnnectivity. Implement plicy initiatives that ensure the regin benefits frm future air traffic grwth t Ireland ver the perid f the NPF and reflect the imprtance f air cnnectivity fr the regin s cntinuing develpment. Targeted assistance t develp air services and facilitate direct air cnnectins t key Eurpean airprts. Waterfrd Mre efficient and cst-cmpetitive public transprt within and t/frm Waterfrd A third river crssing f the Suir dwnriver will als need t be advanced in the cming years t supprt future develpment and grwth. Imprved cnnectivity between Galway, Limerick, Crk and Waterfrd. Nrth Quays the creatin f a vibrant urban quarter n the Nrth Quays will prvide a significant bst fr Waterfrd which shuld be capitalised n frm a turism perspective. Waterfrd airprt the develpment f passenger services t the UK/Eurpe wuld prvide a significant bst t turism, particularly the shrt city breaks segment. Kilkenny Berthing facilities fr cruise ships at Belview Prt (Prt f Waterfrd) wuld help the area tap int the higher-spending visitr market. Explre the ptential t develp Kilkenny s Medieval Mile Museum as a ptential her site within Ireland s Ancient East. Capital investment in venues such as Wdstck, Castlecmer Demesne, Kells Priry Ptential t develp a greenway frm Kilkenny. Wexfrd Rsslare Eurprt - has enrmus pprtunities t cntinue t grw as a hub fr majr Rll-n Rll-ff passenger services frm Britain and mainland Eurpe (cars, buses etc.). The latest figures (2015) shw that Rsslare handles 33% f all private passenger vehicles in t the Republic f Ireland (such as cars) and 25% f all passenger buses. Page 10

12 7. NORTHERN AND WESTERN REGION - TOURISM POLICY PRIORITIES Examples f key turism plicy pririties are set ut belw fr the Nrthern and Western regin: Wild Atlantic Way Further develp this turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr the West and Nrth West. Ireland s Ancient East Further develp this turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr parts f the Nrth West area, including Leitrim, Cavan and Mnaghan. Shannn Turism Crridr Explre pprtunities t develp this future turism initiative as utlined abve t maximise pprtunities fr the Nrthern & Western Regin. Galway The establishment f a prfessinal Galway Cnference Bureau t prmte Galway and the West f Ireland as an Internatinal Business, Sprt and Leisure destinatin. Explre the ptential t cnstruct a wrld class Cnventin Centre in Galway city capable f hsting high prfile events. Cmpletin f the M6 Galway City Ring Rad; cmpletin f an uter bypass circumnavigating the city Explre the feasibility f a light rail system serving the city and its envirns, particularly as future develpment is cncentrated t the east f the current city in Ardaun. Develpment f Park & Ride facilities t alleviate knwn bttlenecks such as Galway city Significant investment is required in waste water treatment facilities acrss the cunty t ensure safe drinking and bathing waters fr all. The prpsed Galway Harbur Extensin shuld fast-tracked given its imprtance t turism and marine leisure activities. Cnsideratin shuld be given t the establishment f a permanent gallery space in the city which can huse exhibitins frm assciated Museums and Galleries. Galway has such a strng Arts heritage which is ften nly expressed at festival time. Capital f Culture 2020 investment is required t ensure that the legacy frm this designatin impacts psitively n the city fr decade t cme. Slig Develp the Crk t Slig rad rute as part f the natinal rad infrastructure. Cmpletin f the M17 Tuam-Slig Knck Airprt: The develpment f Ireland West Knck Airprt as a lw cst turist access hub with ancillary facilities fr access t the Wild Atlantic Way May: Develp a cntinuus castal walk linking May's castal rutes Knck Airprt, Rail and Bus crridr links. Page 11

13 Cmpletin f the N5 Westprt-Lngfrd Imprved signage with particular emphasis n access rutes t turism destinatins Access t Dnegal. It is essential that the rad infrastructure is imprved given the lack f a rail link Cmpletin f the mtrway t Slig Mtrway t Liffrd Supprt fr Dnegal and Derry Airprts FURTHER INFORMATION: The IHF lks frward t engaging further with the Department f Husing, Planning, Cmmunity and Lcal Gvernment in the develpment f the Natinal Planning Framewrk during the cming year. F Fr further infrmatin, please cntact: Tim Fenn Chief Executive Irish Htels Federatin 13 Nrthbrk Rad Dublin 6 inf@ihf.ie Tel: Page 12