Fine Gael, if it gets into Government,  has promised to alter the visa system to  facilitate tourists from countries such as India and China.
It will control local and central government charges through a three-year freeze and, where feasible, lowering central and local government costs, such as energy and rates, to the touriism industry, reducing Value Added Tax on hotel accommodation and restaurants to 12% and will establish a Loan Guarantee Scheme for the tourism sector. It willl also remove the air travel tax and review charges at all airports.

The party also wants Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to work side by side in the same building - to improve co-operation between the two main tourism bodies.

Fianna Fill will support Tourism Ireland in co-ordinating 'The Gathering 2012', a major initiative to encourage people of Irish heritage from all over the world to visit Ireland next year with a range of special programmes on offer.

Greater co-operation between the tourism authorities north and south of the Border would be promoted as would co-operation between Britain and Ireland.

Fianna Fail has also promised to extend the Section 481 Film Investment relief to maintain Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for film production. The party would also continue the digitisation programme of key historic papers and collections and continue to invest to support cultural tourism especially in the area of smart technologies.

The party says that it will seek to maximise the number of overseas visitors through competitive airport and port charges, competitive and tourist-friendly immigration and visa arrangements, and cooperative marketing support programmes with air and sea carriers. In the coming years  the party says that it will focus on upgrading major tourist attractions, developing a number of key iconic attractions, improving infrastructure in key growth areas such as walking, water-based activities, cycling and heritage.  Another key aspect of the plan is the steps which will be taken to liberalise visa restrictions for visitors from long haul markets. All of the indicators point to a growth in tourism numbers from new markets, in particular India, China and the Gulf States.

In relation to the hotel sector, Fianna Fail says that it will pursue legislation to overhaul and streamline the property revaluation process.

The most recent Labour Policy statement on tourism was in June 2010 when it published a Tourism Policy
document called 'Extending the Welcome: Labour’s proposals to sustain and
develop the Tourism Industry',  which outlined immediate steps to be
taken to arrest this decline including abolishing the air travel tax,
reforming visa processing system, addressing the issue of
“zombie hotels” and introducing legislation to allow for the downward
review of rents.

The Green Party has not included Tourism in a range of policy documents publishe don its website.

At industry level the Irish Hotels Federation and ITIC , Ibec, Chambers Ireland and the IFA have published a 'turnaround plan for tourism'.

The report, prepared by Tourism and Transport Consult International and Jim Power Economics, working with a group of industry practitioners, says that 'further meltdown can be avoided”.

The industry 10 point plan for urgent action includes:

1. Recover Ireland’s damaged reputation around the world
An intensive, co-ordinated campaign to promote brand Ireland, involving the Government, state agencies, high profile personalities from business, the arts and   sports

2. Re-launch Ireland as a tourism destination
Working in conjunction with other sectors of the economy develop a new brand Ireland identity to boost the country’s image and awareness abroad

3. Capitalise on quality and value as Ireland regains competitiveness
The industry is offering good value for money to today’s more value-conscious customer. Restoring competitiveness already underway will require that the cost burden of public sector charges be reduced and the review of employment agreements are urgently finalised

4. Focus on winning a larger share of top overseas markets at a time of little growth in domestic demand
Urgent need to recover British market and increase penetration of top producing markets – USA, Germany and France – by setting more ambitious targets

5. Get the marketing right:
-     Urgent review of the ‘messaging’ and channels needed
-     Aim to be world class in e-marketing
-     Harness the Irish Diaspora
-     Better leveraging of traditional trade distributors for ‘quick wins’
-     More joined-up planning with carriers
-     Strengthen research and development appropriate to evolving consumer needs

6. Sell to our strengths:
-     Ireland for its heritage, culture, activity holidays and the unique appeal of the West of Ireland
-     Boost the promotion of Dublin as an international gateway and increasingly popular city destination
-     Create a more ambitious programme of events
-     Increase Ireland’s share of the international conference, meetings and incentive travel markets

A Commitment to Make it Happen

7. Industry-led Tourism Recovery Task Force
Establish immediately to work with state tourism agencies to design and monitor a Turnaround Implementation Plan

8. Re-engineer tourism agency structures
Recognising the value of an all-island approach to marketing, the industry calls for a root and branch reform to improve synergies, reduce complexity, improve flexibility, deliver greater efficiencies and increase spending on frontline marketing

9. Introduce a business loan guarantee scheme
Credit is vitally important to the sector. Lack of credit availability is seriously threatening business viability and investment in physical and service quality

10. Establish a high level inter-departmental working group
Work with the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) to address hotel oversupply and related issues to ensure sustainability of this vitally important accommodation sector