Tourism Ireland launches new friendly Ireland campaign...will the Gardai be included?

[myk]

Campaign urges tourism workers to halt fall-off in Ireland of the welcomes - The Irish Times - Thu, Jul 09, 2009

Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland have introduced a campaign called Shine, reminding tourism workers to be interested, natural, knowledgeable and happy when dealing with customers.

The warm Irish welcome has always been cited as one of the main reasons tourists come here but this unique selling point is gradually being eroded. In 2002, 45 per cent of tourists surveyed said the people were Ireland’s number one advantage over other holiday destinations. By 2008, that had fallen to 39 per cent.

Tourism Ireland said yesterday that while the people of Ireland still remained our greatest asset, “this decline is of concern”.

Its director of central marketing, Mark Henry, said Tourism Ireland marketed Ireland abroad by promising an experience that was unique and full of spontaneity, engagement and fun. “When they arrive, the people they meet here are the ones who deliver that promise. They can do this by performing at their best – by being happy, interested, natural and expert. The message is simple: when our people shine, Ireland radiates.”

It would seem to me that the first people who need to be addressed in this campaign are the members of the Garda National Immigration Bureau

Texan backpackers sent packing by immigration - The Irish Times - Wed, Jul 08, 2009

It came to light yesterday when the Dallas Morning News reported the case. The three friends from high school had planned to use Ireland as a starting point for their year-long backpacking trip across Europe. However, they did not even get a chance to leave the airport building and soon found themselves on a flight bound for New York.

The men said they were told by immigration officials that they could not enter Ireland because they did not have an address for their accommodation and they did not bring bank statements to prove they could afford to travel.

The trio were planning to stay with people contacted through the website www.couchsurfing.com

Colin Zwirko (21), Gavin Sides (19) and Ben Whitehurst (21) all gave up their jobs to take the trip.

Mr Zwirko told The Irish Times the immigration official did not believe they had enough money to sustain their trip “which I can only assume led her to some outrageous conclusion about taking jobs away from citizens or something”.

He said the trio did not have a return ticket as they were travelling around Europe and had planned to spend two weeks here before taking a ferry to Scotland.

They told immigration officials they had thousands of dollars in their bank accounts and he offered to show the officials his bank balance online, but they refused to look at it, he said.

Unfortunately this is not the first such blunder by gardai. Last year a visiting Nigerian priest was held in custody and strip searched in front of others. I think I remember that an Indian person who won a trip to Ireland on a Tourism Ireland prize was also dealt with very harshly at Dublin airport.

[FoxPerignon]

too right.

Pretty much without exception, the guards at Dublin airport are rude f***ers....makes ya wonder do they pick the most egregiously ignorant ones for the job or does it result from the fact that their tiny bit of power goes to their heads?

[Horace Horse]

The Immigration officers at Dublin Airport are incompetent and rude. They let in thousands of malingerers, yet turn away decent young people like those three Americans. They are surly, unwashed, and uncouth. A deplorable introduction to Ireland for the foreign traveller, but very appropriate representatives of Fianna Fail the Rat Pack Party.

And what's this garbage about forcing Irish people to wait in the same line as fakirs and mullahs from the four ends of the earth? I recently wasted half an hour of my time because the scumbags who run Immigration at the Airport had opened no line for Irish citizens.

I hope the story about the three young Americans gets widespread coverage in the US, might alert a few people to the dungheap Fianna Fail the Scumbag party has created on this island. Yet the same FFSBP rats will try to get invited to Washington and San Francisco next March.

[shutuplaura]

Cops in Ireland don't seem to know the meaning of the word easy-going. I've seldom (actually never that I can think of) had a satisfactory encounter with them.

To be honest though, and my information is probably outdated here, I've not got much reason to complain about their immigration officers. Not friendly but hardly unfriendly, at least to me anyway. The controls seem less daunting than anythign I've encountered in the states or asia, and on a par with NZ or Australia. Immigration is invariably a headwrecking chore.

[Christel]

I missed this story about the three Americans. Seems pretty harsh treatment, without alternative considered.

Re this Failte Ireland campaign, isn't it absurd?

"reminding tourism workers to be interested, natural, knowledgeable and happy when dealing with customers.
... They can do this by performing at their best – by being happy, interested, natural and expert. The message is simple: when our people shine, Ireland radiates.” "

How can someone be happy, interested, natural on command, or by plan?

The way to do this is mentioned by Mark Henry: "perform". That's not the original authentic welcome attitude, but typical for the new Irish way? Tourists might notice the fake?

[Staropramen]

Re this Failte Ireland campaign, isn't it absurd?

The stories I could tell about this shower of absolute jokers.