Galway tourist rip-offs must end warns new Minister

Date Published: 14-Mar-2011

By Declan Tierney

The ‘rip off’ culture that exists in Galway city and other popular tourist destinations in the West of Ireland has to come to an end – that is the warning of the new Minister of State for Tourism.

In an interview with the Sentinel, Junior Minister Michael Ring said that he would be meeting with all of the tourism interests in Galway city over the coming weeks with the intention of devising a package that could be attractive to foreign tourists.

A worrying survey conducted recently revealed that Galway city had the dearest hotel room rates in the country and Minister Ring wants to change this image.

He said that Galway city and Connemara were integral parts of the tourism industry in this country and over the next few weeks he would be marketing these areas abroad.

“We have a budget in place to try and enhance our tourism revenue and get people into this country. Tourism is a growth area that has been targeted by this Government and Galway is part and parcel of this.

“But we have to get rid of the rip off culture that exists here. That is why I will be meeting with tourism groups in Galway and other regions to try and present an affordable product for visiting tourists,” Minister Ring said.

He said that he would be gathering together representatives from the hotel, pub and restaurant trade as well as the local Chamber of Commerce in Galway.

Minister Ring said that all aspects of the tourist industry would be investigated. “We are not looking for once-off business, rather the package I hope to deliver will lure repeat business back to this country – but it will need a lot of cooperation from the major players,” he warned.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel