Interview with Frank Magee

After a major restructuring in recent years, tourism in Dublin is on the rise, with visitor figures exceeding the ambitious targets that have been set. We asked Frank Magee, Chief Executive of Dublin Tourism, to share some of the secrets of his success...

Destination World: Dublin’s visitor numbers rose by 10% in 2006 - achieving double the target that had been set. What do you consider to be the key factors in such exceptional performance?

Frank Magee: The most important factor as an island destination has been air access. The growth in air carriers such as Ryanair and Aer Lingus has played a major role.

The high level of visitor satisfaction and repeat visitors indicates that the product mix is right. The personality of Dublin, its people, place and scale are unique and attractive.

DW: Ireland’s tourism marketing function has undergone a major restructuring in recent years, including a merging of the country’s six previously autonomous RTAs with the national tourism development authority, Fáilte Ireland, and leaving Dublin as a more compact and largely independent organisation. What impact has this had on your work?

FM: As a result of the changes it allows us to focus more on our core activity, increasing revenue by increasing length of stay and numbers. It is a vote of confidence in Dublin as the driver of tourism to the rest of Ireland and confirms Dublin as a brand in its own right.

DW: Dublin Tourism is unusual, if not unique, in that it runs many of the city’s attractions. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an arrangement?

FM: We got into attraction management by default; essentially running a network that is of significance to Dublin but not the nation. The jewel in the crown is Malahide Castle. By saving these facilities for public access we also enrich the visitor experience and piggyback on their marketing effort.

We are proud of the fact that we opened the first museum in the world in 1991 dedicated to writers. In conjunction with the Shaw Birthplace and The Joyce Museum it enables us to maximise the attraction of Dublin as a literary city, a city of storytellers. James Joyce has been a great ambassador for Ireland.

DW: Dublin Tourism seems to be leading the way with visitor information available in a range of formats - podcasts, audio guides, web pages, interactive mapping, etc. Which do you see as the most important technological innovations for city destinations like Dublin?

FM: It’s identifying what is possible on an economic basis and just doing it. We have a tightly knit team who are forever pushing out the barriers.

DW: With hindsight, what are the main things that you would have done differently since you took up the role of chief executive?

FM: I have learned from the mistakes but not brooded on them. I honestly can’t think of anything I’ve regretted. It’s about listening, motivating a team, sharing a vision, understanding that the key thing we will be judged on is our relevance to the trade.

DW: What have you, personally, learnt from your experience in this role?

FM: Trade and staff will support you if you make the effort. Staff like to be challenged and empowered. By being clear about the required outcomes it makes it easier to get people to buy in.

DW: You are currently the President of European Cities Marketing, in addition to your ‘day job’ at Dublin Tourism. Why did you take on this role?

FM: Its payback time to the organisation. For the past 15 years I have learned a lot from European Cities. I have made many good friends. I believe that European Cities do make a difference. I think it’s important to have a European spread. For these reasons I have made the commitment.

DW: What do you most want to achieve as President?

FM: As a result of the merger of European Cities Tourism and European Federation of Congress towns the challenge is to grow the benefits to our constituents’ members.

A new culture has to be developed, we have more profession resources headed up by the Secretary General in Dijon and so will have to deliver more services and pay back to our members.

I want to engage more with the members. Like everything else in life you get out what you put in, so I want more cities involved in our activities on a working basis and I am restructuring working groups to try and involve more people.