Nothing to be gained from Shanhghai visit

Monday, March 22, 2010

IN his letter (March 11), Michael Geary suggested the Cork Marketing Partnership’s efforts at the Shanghai Expo would be worthwhile because they would promote business tourism, and not the regular tourism that the Irish visa system discourages from China.

Unfortunately, the same visa rules apply to our business visitors, so if the partnership feels it will generate investment in Cork by attending the Expo, it is deluded.

There will be no surge in tourism or business investment in Cork from China or most other countries in Asia, Africa or South America until the visa system is changed. None.

If the partnership is serious about promoting investment and tourism in Cork, it should draw national attention to the anti-business and anti-tourism approach of our visa system by cancelling its trip to China.

The partnership should then paint some placards, buy some sleeping bags and camp out on the steps of the Department of Justice until Minister Dermot Ahern changes the visa rules.

In the absence of meaningful action by Minister Dermot Ahern, the Cork Marketing Partnership’s trip to Shanghai can only be viewed as a junket.

Gerry Mullins
Chief Executive
Coach Tourism & Transport Council
D’Olier Street
Dublin 2

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, March 22, 2010