The tourism figures for 1998 make for encouraging reading. The industry earned £2.3 billion in foreign revenue and employment in the Irish economy dependent on tourism now accounts for a remarkable 124,000. The industry is growing more rapidly than the economy as a whole.
And yet behind this undoubted success story there are underlying problems which must not be lost sight of. There is no single element in Irish tourism more important than the quality of the Irish welcome. Visitors treasure the warmth of a bed-and-breakfast or a farmhouse. But the very success of the industry has led to an expansion which, in turn, has led to a lack of intimacy. A French travel writer remarked recently that twenty years ago, the average bed-and-breakfast had three rooms - plenty of time for the guests to get to know the owners. Now it is increasingly likely there will be a tea-making machine in the rooms and little communication between host and guest.
The same writer observed on the phenomenon of restaurants making it a condition of accepting a booking that diners vacate their tables by a certain time to make way for a second sitting. In Temple Bar in Dublin, he added, bouncers decide on the customers suitable for pubs.
A German tour operator recently complained that the service was unacceptable in many three-star Irish hotels. These are generally budget hotels with very basic services. The tour operator said his clients would not mind paying more if they could have a higher degree of service, including the all-important contact with Irish owners and staff.
It is worrying that the German market in 1998 showed no growth. The Minister for Tourism, Dr McDaid, and Bord Failte have tended to blame the sluggish German economy as it comes to terms with the cost of reunification. There is some truth in that, but observers are concerned that the green image of Ireland so successfully presented in Germany, may be falling victim to traffic jams on the Ring of Kerry and new "holiday villages" in areas of great scenic beauty.
The success of Irish tourism has been helped in no small measure by EU structural fund support and even contributions towards marketing. These supports are scheduled to be drastically reduced and the industry is faced with doing more for itself. Most areas of tourism are not inherently very profitable, partly because the industry is still seasonal, so making good the drop in marketing support will not be easy.
On the positive side, the British and American markets have performed very well and are likely to continue buoyant, helped by vigorous competition between the various transport interests serving both markets. There is no reason to suppose that 1999 will not be another successful year but neither is there any reason to suppose that the success story will continue if the industry does not take heed of the warning signs.