Visa regulations are hampering tourism from  China and other countries, according to Gerry Mullins, ceo of the Coach Tourism Transport Council.

He says that visitors from China seeking a holiday visa are asked to produce six months of bank statements and must give an assurance that their ‘hosts’ will support them during their stay.

The rule was introduced when  travellers from China could potentially arrive here without funds, but it is irrelevant in the case of wealthy Chinese holidaymakers, he said.

One CTTC member said that a travel agent in Indonesia claimed that he could bring 1,000 tours of 40 people each to Ireland if it were not for current visa regulations.

This daft situation was highlighted to me last year , by a colleague in our offices , when he tried to get a visa for a senior executive of a bank based in China . The executive wanted to bring his family of 5 persons to Ireland and had booked a weeks stay in a 5 star hotel in the south west of Ireland . The process of getting a visa was so difficult that he was forced to abandon his visit and go elsewhere .

prem-directory-version-4.pdf 

Group have just launched the 4th edition of the Hotel Directory . Running to 50 pages the hotel directory features over 40 property’s across Ireland , England, Belgium and France .A new departure for this addition is the inclusion of 7 associate hotels . These are independently operated hotels that PREM are working with in the ares of sales and marketing , web management , group purchasing ,etc. We welcome the addition of these fine hotels and I believe that the association will be a beneficial one .To get a pdf of the new directory click on the above link or visit www.premgroup.com

   As Irish consumers cut back on overseas holidays, Fáilte Ireland is planning an intensified Discover Ireland campaign to encourage them to spend their holidays at home. Fáilte Ireland says that it will launch its biggest ever home holiday marketing programme, as a central plank in its strategy to increase the home market share of the overall Irish leisure break market. The domestic market now accounts for 65% of business in the intensely competitive hotel sector.  Research indicates that Irish people are less likely to tra! vel abroad in the current climate, presenting an opportunity for the home breaks market this year.  A particularly notable issue which has come through strongly in Fáilte Ireland research is that Irish people now see Ireland as a good value destination, and consumers are acknowledging the excellent offers and value for money now available in the market.   Following a very difficult season in 2009, the Irish tourism industry is relatively more optimistic about its prospects for this year, with almost two thirds of operators expecting that business in 2010 will be similar or better than in 2009 according to the latest Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer. Tourism revenue declined by almost 17% in 2009 to €5.2 billion - its lowest level since 2004, reflecting difficult trading conditions in key overseas markets, most notably Britain and the United States and intense price competition within the accommodation sector, particularly hotels. The number of overseas visitors travelling to Ireland fell by 12% and as expected, domestic trips within Ireland are estimated to have declined by about 14%. Current indications are that 2010 will be another tough year for Irish tourism as many key markets continue to battle adverse economic conditions.  The prospects for some markets, such as Germany and other key Continental European markets appear relatively favourable and growth is expected in 2010.  Larger traditional markets including Britain and the United States will remain challenging, regardless of exchange rates.  Home market prospects remain unclear although consumer research indicates further potential as Irish people cut back on foreign trips. Overall, tourism operators are more optimistic about the coming season than they were a year ago. Heading into last year, only 20% of tourism operators expected business to either hold or improve.  This year, 63% expect 2010 to be on a par or better than 2009.  A majority expect employment levels in 2010 to be the same as 2009, while less than one in twenty acknowledge the prospect of any increase.  

Successful steps taken by individual businesses in 2009 to cut costs substantially paid off and have put the industry on a stronger footing than a year ago.  However, many businesses are now expressing deep concern about the continuing high cost of Local Authority charges, energy and insurance.

WORRIED about how to survive the year ahead at work? Management consultant Tom Peters has drawn up a long list of ways to prosper in 2010. These make a lot of sense :

You work longer.

You work harder.

You may well work for less; and if so, you adapt to the untoward circumstances with a smile – even if it kills you inside.

You volunteer to do more.

You always bring a good attitude to work.

You fake it if your good attitude flags. You literally practise your “game face” in the mirror in the morning, and in the loo mid-morning.

You shrug off shit that flows downhill in your direction – buy a shovel or a “pre-worn” raincoat on eBay

You get there earlier.

You leave later.

You forget about “the good old days” – nostalgia is for wimps.

You buck yourself up with the thought that “this too shall pass”—but then remind yourself that it might not pass anytime soon, so you re-dedicate yourself , to making the absolute best of what you have now.

You eschew all forms of personal excess.

You simplify.

You sweat the details as you never have before. .

You raise to the sky the standards of excellence by which you evaluate your own performance.

You thank others by the truckload if good things happen - and take the heat yourself if bad things happen

You behave kindly, but you don’t sugarcoat or hide the truth – humans are startlingly resilient.

You treat small successes as if they were Superbowl victories - and celebrate and commend accordingly.

You shrug off the losses (ignoring what’s going on inside your tummy), and get back on the horse and try again.

You avoid negative people to the extent you can – pollution kills.

You eventually read the doom-sprayers the riot act.

You network like a demon

You help others with their issues

You give new meaning to the word “thoughtful.”

You redouble, re-triple your “ efforts to walk in your customer’s shoes. .. (Especially if those shoes smell.)

You mind your manners – and accept others’ lack of manners in the face of their strains.
You are kind to all mankind

You leave the blame game at the office door

You become a paragon of accountability

And then you pray.

Copied from the Business Section if the
Irish Independent Thursday 17^th Decemebr 2009

I don’t think that anyone, in business , will be disappointed to see the back of 2009 . It has been a tough year for PREM with declines in revenues in Ireland , Belgium and to a lesser extent in the UK . Yet there has been some positives , we have seen the addition of 4 new management contracts , Tulfarris , The Park Hotel , Chalet 52 and the Grand Hotel in France .In January the latest addition of the PREM Group directory will be launched featuring 40 Hotel/ Serviced Apartment property’s , that will include a number of new associated hotels . We continue to restructure the group to make it more efficient , but also to allow us to grow . As part of the restructuring we have surrendered nearly all our office leases back to the landlords and in the last few weeks we have effectively wound down our involvement in the Business Centre business . This will allow us more time to focus on our hotel business in 2010 .  So where do I see PREM going in 2010 ? Well there is no doubt that trading in our sector is going to continue to be challenging ,particularly in the 1^sttwo quarters . None of us can afford to take our eye off the ball in any part of this business . If we do we will concede market share to our competitors . We will  continue to be creative and innovative in everything that we do . We will continue to grow our fee base and bring in new hotels into the group , aggressively  pursuing Hotel management contracts across all the regions we operate in . As we speak we are working on a number of projects that will hopefully convert into contracts early in the new year .  In the mist of all the difficulties and challenges that we face we know that we are the best operators in our markets . Our property’s consistently out perform the competitive set , this edge needs to be maintained . To the PREM Group team I congratulate all of you for a job well done and lets keep that momentum going into the New Year . 

I would like to wish all those who work in PREM and those who have supported us in 2009  a very Happy Christmas and hopefully a prosperous 2010 .

Come and stay in the beautiful new 4-star residence in the popular resort of Serre Chevalier. Savour the lofty spaces, chill and take in the breathtaking views and there’s also plenty of time for skiing.

Escape to the mountains in the New Year, bring a friend or three and we’ll give you one lift pass for free. That’s right for every group of 4, we’ll offer the 4th pass for free*  

 Call us on +33 (0) 820 204 305 or visit www.chalet52.com  

Chalet 52 facilities include the Alpine Restaurant serving delicious local cuisine; the Lounge Bar, a perfect après ski retreat or end the day with a swim under the snowflakes in our heated indoor/outdoor pool.

With 250km of pisted ski runs, Serre Chevalier is the largest ski area in the Hautes-Alpes and easily accessible with short transfer times (as little as 1.5 hours from Turin). Famous for its varied slopes and fantastic off-piste, a great resort for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities.

Fly direct to either Turin, Grenoble or Lyon.  Briançon rail station is just minutes away with daily trains from Paris to Briançon and several times a daily to Oulx (in Italy) with a regular Briançon shuttle bus.

One of the important aspects of any holiday is the nature of the locals. Are they friendly, helpful and full of smiles? Or rather cold and reserved? FutureBrand for the third time focused in their Country Brand Index on the friendliness of locals and ranked the top 10 country brands according to the nature of the population.Great to see Ireland enjoying 2nd spot and beating off some amazing competition . Lets hope we can maintain our status as this is crucial to our Tourism success ,especially given that we dont have the great weather of some of our competitors . So where do we find the most amicable people?

1. Fiji

For each of the three years that Friendly Locals has been measured in the Country Brand Index, Brand Fiji has been ranked in the Top 10 for this measure. As a nation renowned for the warmth, hospitality and naturally friendly disposition of its people, it is no surprise that Fiji rose to the top position in 2009. Here the citizens themselves combine with the natural beauty of this idyllic archipelago to create a true paradise in the South Pacific.

2. Ireland

Building on a tradition of the craic—fun, entertainment and enjoyable conversation—Brand Ireland ranked as the #2 country for Friendly Locals for the second consecutive year. The genuinely friendly and welcoming Irish culture is focused around conversation and community and remains one of Ireland’s most charming attractions for visitors.

3. Aruba

Achieving the #3 position for Friendly Locals for 2009, Aruba has a well-established and ingrained philosophy of being “One Happy Island.” The island’s year-round sunny climate gives rise to a laidback culture and lighthearted lifestyle. The Aruban way of life is easygoing and upbeat, with a people who are quick to smile and always friendly.

4.Thailand

5.Bermuda

6.Tahiti

7.Trinidad & Tobago

8.Uruguay

9.Canada

10.New Zealand

Source: www.futurebrand.com

The new website for Chalet 52 , our new Hotel management contract in the French alps has gone live . Developed by VinylMatt, our web design partner , this exciting new website offers a lot more functionality as well as cutting edge design . Over the next few days we are going to load some very special offers of up to 60% off room rates for the 2009/2010 ski season ,subject to availability . So if you are looking to book a great location for your next ski holiday visit   www.chalet52.com  .

Massive Global Tourism Marketing Drive

Tourism Ireland plans to grow visitor numbers to the island of Ireland by 3% next year – attracting an additional 230,000 visitors – giving a 2010 target of 7.85 million.  This outcome will mean that tourism to the island of Ireland will grow ahead of the competition. Marketing investment will be refocused to generate immediate returns for the tourism industry.  Investment will be concentrated in Britain and in Germany, based on research which identifies these markets as our best prospects.  Tourism Ireland will also significantly increase its investment in promoting value offers.Speaking at the launch, Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland’s Chief Executive, said that 2010 ‘is about action to stem the decline and begin the return to growth for tourism from overseas’.  ‘Tourism Ireland, in partnership with the tourism industry, will focus on getting short-terms wins.  Value will be a key message for the hugely competitive markets in which we operate; and we will be highlighting the uniqueness of a holiday on the island of Ireland – the diversity of our culture and heritage and the friendliness of our people – to secure ‘stand out’ and differentiate ourselves in a very crowded marketplace.”2009 has proved to be one of the toughest years for tourism to the island of Ireland and for tourism worldwide.  One of the key factors affecting Ireland’s performance is its traditional reliance on Britain and North America, two markets which have suffered disproportionately from the economic downturn and weak currencies.  In addition, air access worldwide declined significantly during 2009.  Despite this, by year end Tourism Ireland anticipates that 7.6 million people will have visited the island of Ireland from overseas, generating approximately €3.7 billion in revenue; and there is some evidence that consumer confidence is beginning to improve, albeit slowly, providing a positive signal for 2010. 

Outlook

Tourism Ireland has set a target of 3% growth in visitor numbers for 2010, which is ambitious given that Tourism Economics (the leading providers of world tourism forecasts) is predicting a continuing decline in visitor numbers to the island of Ireland next year.  ‘The World Tourism Organisation and Tourism Economics are suggesting continued uncertainty for 2010.  However, Tourism Ireland believes that working together with the industry, we can deliver growth.  The Irish tourism industry is among the most innovative and enterprising in the world and we have a superb product to offer but getting back to growth in the prevailing circumstances will require a collective effort on an unprecedented scale.  Tourism Ireland is up for that’, said Niall Gibbons.  Interest in holidaying on the island of Ireland is high among consumers in Tourism Ireland’s top markets.  For example, Irela! nd ranks 5th out of 50 in GB, ahead of destinations like the US and New Zealand (source: Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index 2008).

‘Battle for Britain’Britain is the largest single market for tourism to the island of Ireland and following an in-depth review Tourism Ireland has produced a blueprint for the future, to restore growth from this important market.  Some of the key actions from the review include a new focus on value; differentiating a holiday here from one in England, Scotland and Wales (our competitive set in GB); and re-engaging and re-energising the travel trade in GB. Specifically, Tourism Ireland will:
• develop and implement a series of new price-led campaigns which will highlight the wide range of great value deals on offer.  Tourism Ireland has just launched a new ‘value in Ireland’ brochure in GB, advising visitors where the best value can be found;
• be the first tourist board in Britain to launch a price-led TV campaign next year, due for broadcast in January 2010;
• make St Patrick’s Day one of the biggest consumer events in Britain in 2010, by creating a GB-wide programme of events and by building an innovative publicity and social media campaign; and will bring 100 Irish industry representatives to Britain to help create the ‘buzz’;
• deliver the message that Ireland offers unique holiday experiences through a range of high impact, innovative, ‘Ireland themed’ promotions which will inc! lude:
- ‘filmed in Ireland:  a celebration of film
- ‘written in Ireland’:  a celebration of literature
- ‘born in Ireland’:  a genealogical event
- ‘composed in Ireland’:  a celebration of music
- ‘celebrated in Ireland’:  showcasing our many festivals
• will aggressively target coach tour operators, group organisers, wholesalers, specialist and general operators through a programme of workshops and face-to-face events in 2010.Overall, a minimum of €12.8 million will be invested in GB marketing in 2010 – which translates into at least a €1 million marketing spend on average each month. Focus on Germany
Building on the success of the recent DERTOUR Reiseakademie (which saw 900 travel professionals from Germany attend the 2009 Travel Academy of leading tour operator DERTOUR in Killarney over a two-week period), Tourism Ireland will increase its investment in Germany in 2010 to capitalise on this market.  Activity will include a national TV advertising campaign for the first time, as well as co-operative campaigns with carriers.Tourism Ireland has set up over 3,500 overseas marketing platforms for the industry to engage in next year – an increase of 20% over 2009.  Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland, said: “2010 will be all about ‘closing the sale’.  We’ll be making it easier for the tourism industry to join us in promoting overseas.  We have set up over 3,500 marketing platforms, including many low-cost and free options.  And we’ll be bringing more industry partners to the markets, to help us create an ongoing ‘buzz’ about Ireland.  Our global website www.discoverireland.com received a record 10.9 million visits in the first ten months of this year, which is most encouraging and illustrates a continued s! trong interest in the island of Ireland, despite the challenging environment.  We must convert that interest into sales in 2010”, said Niall Gibbons.Further details of Tourism Ireland’s 2010 Overseas Marketing Plans can be found on www.tourismireland.com

PREM Group have just launched a new website www.hotelgiftvouchers.com . 

Hotel Gift Vouchers are the perfect gift no matter what the occasion!

They can be redeemed at over 40 hotels and serviced apartments in Ireland, England, Belgium and France, offering a great choice of destinations and hotel brands for that special some-one.

You can choose to have them delivered by post, or by e-mail in the form of an e-voucher.

Available in either euro or pounds sterling, they can be purchased in denominations of €20 and €50, and £20 and £50

Simply present your voucher(s) at your chosen hotel upon check in to redeem. For more information visit www.hotelgiftvouchers.com