Government 'should target British visitors'
Eamonn Rothwell, group managing director Irish Ferries and captain of the Ulysses Ian Ferguson with Irish athlete Margaret Berry as she cuts a cake to mark the first anniversary of the Ulysses's service on the Irish Sea.
18 April 2002: The Government should invest extra resources to target the 55 million people in Britain who are potential visitors to this country, according to Eamonn Rothwell, group managing director of Irish Ferries.
Speaking at an anniversary breakfast to mark the first year of operation of the Ulysses, the world’s largest car ferry, on the Irish Sea, he said only 300,000 - or one percent - of that market come here on holidays each year.
“Particularly in a time of international turmoil, they will be looking to holiday nearer home and the Government should put some extra investment into that possibility,” he said.
The bridge of the Ulysses.
A special birthday cake was cut by Irish athlete Margaret Berry to mark the occasion. Margaret officially launched the ship last year. The Ulysses has maintained a non-stop schedule of two return sailings daily since its introduction and achieved an unblemished record of 100% scheduled sailings over the last 12 months.
In the 1,395 sailings the vessel travelled an estimated 76,725 nautical miles.
The Ulysses is a major element in a 450 million euros investment by the company over the past seven years, and represents 100 million euros of the total. It can carry 1,342 cars or 260 articulated trucks and trailers per sailing.
Mr Rothwell said the Ulysses is ‘a great calling card’ for Irish Ferries. “I have had 50 meetings with various institutions around the world and at each the question was asked ‘why is the world’s largest ferry going from Dublin to Holyhead?’” he told 100 or so travel trade and motoring press visitors yesterday. “It’s also a great calling card for Ireland. It reflects what is best in modern Ireland. We now have the most modern fleet on the Irish Sea, and our winning of the Best Ferry Operator accolade on the Irish Sea reflects this.”
©2002irishcar.com
