In this Issue:

Tourism News News from Us Internet News Recipe Final Thought

Tourism News

Tourism representatives expressed their disappointment at Finance Minister, Brian Cowen's failure to respond to appeals to make VAT refundable on business related tourist expenditure. The ITIC described this as a 'self-imposed competitive disadvantage which puts us out of line with most other European countries' and urged the minister to address it in the Finance Act.
more>>

Minister Cowen did move to abolish a series of tax reliefs which have led to an oversupply of hotel rooms and holiday homes. Since 1996 the number of hotel rooms increased from 27,000 to 47,000.
more>>

A report commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), shows that the drinks industry in Ireland provides at least 27% of all commercial sponsorship given to festivals across the country.
more>>
Download the full report here (.pdf)

Irish Ferries are to seek €:7million from the State to assist with redundancy payments.
more>>

Tourism Statistics

The Central Statistics Office have released Travel and Tourism statistics for the third quarter of 2005.
more>>(.pdf)

Air Travel

New Flights:

Ryanair has announced 18 new routes from Dublin to other parts of Europe.
more>>

Ryanair New Flights
Dublin to:
France - Marseille, Nantes, La Rochelle
Germany - Baden (Stuttgart), Hamburg
Poland - Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Lodz
Italy - Milan, Venice
Sweden - Gothenburg, Malmo
Spain - Valencia
Portugal - Porto
Austria - Salzburg
Slovakia - Bratislava
Lithuania - Kaunas
UK - Humberside

Shannon to:
UK - Manchester
Poland - Wroclaw
Italy - Rome
Spain - Murcia
more>>

Aer Arann New Flights
Cardiff to Dublin and Belfast City
Kerry to lorient (France)
more>>

Bmi Baby New Flight
Knock - Durham Tees Valley
more>>

Attractions

Foynes Flying Boat Museum is to present a full-scale model of a Boeing B314 Flying Boat in the spring of 2006. It will be the only flying boat of its kind in existence anywhere in the world.
more>>

Plans have been unveiled for a £100m Titanic tourist project in Belfast's docklands area including a lifesize light sculpture of the illfated ship.
more>>

News from us

A reminder to all customers to take full advantage of our increased hits to our site, (increased by a third since last year 2004, 2,000,000 hits, 2005 3,000,000 hits) by updating rates and contact information for 2006.
more>>

We are currently seeking motivated sales people to work on a commission basis, may suit people already calling to the hospitality sector to add another product to their line, you can apply to eleanor@dirl.com

Congratulations to Rose, Manager of Elm Court Holiday Homes, on winning first prize for Killarney’s Best Self Catering looking Good competition 2005 Keep up the good work Rose.

Any news that you feel you would like to share, let me know and I will try to include it in our Spring newsletter. I would also like to welcome all our new customers to our multilingual travel directory and continued success to our existing ones.

Merry Christmas

Eleanor.

Internet News

Internet security company IDefence reported that the prolific "Sober" virus is designed to use infected machines to spam Nazi propaganda on Jan5, the 87^th anniversary of the founding of the Nazi party.
more>>
Symtoms and removal insructions: here

Sophos annual security report "security threat management report 2005" reports that the number of new malware threats rose by 48%. According to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, the rise is due to cyber criminals making more targeted attacks with custom built trojans and viruses.
more>>

Global cybercrime proceeds in 2004, at over $105 billion, were greater than proceeds from the global sale of illegal drugs, according to Valerie McNiven, an advisor to the U.S. Treasury on cybercrime.over $105 billion,
more>>

Recipe

100g (4 oz) granulated sugar
125ml (1/4 pt) water
4 egg yolks
500ml (1 pt) cream
1 teasp vanilla essence
500g (1 lb) dried mixed fruit e.g. raisins, currants, sultanas, figs, apricots (soaked overnight in port)
100g (4 oz) toasted almonds, chopped

Put sugar and water into a pan. Dissolve sugar over a gentle heat. Then boil steadily until it forms a syrup. Beat the egg yolks well, then carefully pour the syrup onto them. Continue to whisk to a thick, mousse-like mixture.
Whip the cream. Fold the cream and vanilla essence into the mousse with the fruit and nuts. Pour the lot into a pudding bowl and freeze.

Final Thought

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!

Nollaig shona agus Athbhlian faoi mhaise duit.

Slán

Travel Directories Ireland
Web: www.eirtravel.info
e-mail: info@eirtravel.info
Wap: www.eirtravel.info/wap/
Phone: +353 (0)52 42810
Fax: +353 (0)52 42575