There are clear signs of recovery in Irish tourism. However, the scope for State investment in tourism will remain constrained for the foreseeable future. It is timely therefore to make a policy statement that prioritises investment that will maximise the return from tourism in the long term.

By supporting tourism, the Government aims to maximise the wide-ranging economic and social benefits of the sector, by promoting Ireland, supporting enterprises and jobs and providing an attractive, competitive overall offering for tourists.

The overall tourism goal of Government is that:

By 2025, revenue from overseas visitors, excluding carrier receipts, will increase to €5 billion in real terms (i.e. excluding the effects of inflation).

Employment in the tourism sector will be 250,000 by 2025, compared with around 200,000 at present.

There will be 10 million visits to Ireland annually by 2025.

In order to achieve this target, the Government affirms and has agreed that:

It will place tourism as a key element of its economic strategy, with development in the tourism sector reflecting the highest standards of environmental and economic sustainability, and the role of tourism in promoting peace and political co-operation on the island of Ireland will continue to be recognised and encouraged.

Our people and our place remain our biggest assets in terms of our ability to attract an even greater number of overseas visitors in the future. At the same time, these assets must be mobilised within a robust and effective policy framework if Ireland is to reap the economic and social benefits of tourism.