New era for Shannon say hoteliers

• Independent Shannon Airport will have enormous benefits for tourism businesses in Shannon region and the West of Ireland.
• Announcement will transform how the region is marketed to overseas visitors as a vibrant holiday destination.
• Joined-up approach will result in significantly more opportunities for establishing new air routes.

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) today voiced strong support for the Government's plans to establish Shannon Airport as an independent entity and to restructure enterprise support agencies in the Shannon region. Micheal Vaughan, the Shannon based President of the IHF said this is a momentous announcement marking a new era of opportunity for the region which will enable Shannon Airport to fulfil its potential to act as a significant tourism hub for the West coast of Ireland.

Mr Vaughan states that tourism businesses on the ground have long supported the need for an independent Shannon airport and a new framework where it could leverage tourism and enterprise interests all working with a single vision for the region.

"This is a great day for the Shannon region and we will be fully behind this new commercially focused entity which will be a significant opportunity to act as a catalyst to energise the region and in particular tourism marketing policies. Enormous potential exists to promote Shannon as a vibrant holiday destination abroad," says Mr Vaughan.

The IHF particularly welcomes placing tourism promotion for the Shannon region back into the national promotional tourism structure of Fáilte Ireland. It added that it hopes today's announcement heralds the start of a more dynamic aviation policy to maximise the potential for tourism to the island of Ireland and in particular to the less advantaged areas as identified in the recent Tourism Opportunities Report. The IHF added that a more autonomous role for Shannon Airport coupled with a new commercially focused and integrated approach for the Shannon region should ensure more new air routes being identified.

"We have continually called for a new approach and structure to promote the Shannon region - the existing tourism marketing approach for Shannon was simply ineffective with visitor numbers collapsing by over 50% over the past decade," states Mr Vaughan. "The statutory involvement of Fáilte Ireland in the new entity is ground breaking and should be a model for other airports to follow - a more joined up approach between airports and tourism activities is critical for growing tourism.

"We would also urge that a dedicated airport marketing fund be established for Shannon Airport to market the region. This combined with full US customs and border clearance would be a real asset in attracting visitors to the West of Ireland," says Mr Vaughan.

"Today's announcement is a tremendous new start to a brighter future for the region. Our hotel and guesthouse members look forward to working with the new Authority to assist drive new ambitions for tourism growth across the Atlantic corridor. The will IHF welcomes the opportunity to play a full and active part in this regard," says Mr Vaughan.