Tourism chiefs have warned the Government that Budget 2021 is their last chance to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic hit to the Irish tourism industry which is now costing €27m a day. The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) stressed that such is the scale of the blow to the industry from the pandemic that 300,000 jobs are now in danger if budgetary intervention supports are not confirmed. “It need not be like this,” warned ITIC chief executive Eoghan O’Mara Walsh. “Some 75pc of Ireland’s tourism economy is made up of inbound visitation and is vital that we recommence international travel in a safe and sensible manner." "The absence of international tourists has cost the Irish tourism industry €27m per day over the summer months.”Travel industry officials want Ireland to rapidly adopt the EU 'traffic light' system to boost travel and the aviation sector.

Source: Irish Independent October 01, 2020 16:07 UTC