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THE NUMBER OF tourists visiting Ireland from North America grew in the first half of this year, while numbers coming from Britain declined, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The figures confirm overall growth of 4.2% in overseas visitors to Ireland compared to the first half of last year. This growth has come from North America (up 21.6%), mainland Europe and developing markets.
Tourism Ireland said today that increased air access to Ireland contributed to the overall growth. Air access was up 4% this summer due to the introduction of a number of new routes from the country’s main markets.
The decline in the value of sterling has impacted on the number of British visitors to Ireland, which was down 6.4% in the first half of the year.
“It is a concern, but not a surprise, that the number of visits from Britain has fallen in the early part of the year as a result of the sterling depreciation following the Brexit referendum. There is no doubt that competitiveness in our tourism industry is vital at this time,” Minister for Transport and Tourism Shane Ross said today.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said the decline in the value of sterling has made holidays and short breaks here more expensive.
“Therefore, competitiveness and the value for money message are more important than ever in Britain right now. Tourism Ireland is placing a greater focus on our ‘culturally curious’ audience, who are less impacted by currency fluctuations. We are also undertaking an expanded partnership programme with airlines, ferry operators and tour operators, communicating a strong price-led message,” he said.
However Gibbons pointed out that Ireland now welcomes 10% of all American visitors to Europe, describing this as “particularly noteworthy given the intense competition from other destinations”.
“It has also been the best ever first-half performance from mainland Europe (up almost 6%), with important markets like Spain, Germany, France and the Nordic Region all recording really good growth. I am also really pleased to see visitor numbers from Australia and developing markets increase by 20.6% for the first half of 2017,” he said.
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The British are not a great loss as tourists. They tend to spend less, spend fewer nights and are much less likely to visit rural areas than other nationalities. The tourist industry here can thrive by focusing on North America, Asia and continental Europe. The British can always go to Ibiza instead if they find Dublin too pricy.
@Fred Jensen: Total rubbish. We get over 3.5 million British tourists every year – and 2 million less from the US and Canada! Do you just type the first thing that comes into your mind?
@Fank Pulman:
We get 3 million from UK out of about 9 million in total. Each tourist from North America and Asia spends double or even triple the amount of money as a British tourist. So only about 10% of tourist revenue is coming from the Brits. I have greater aspirations for the Irish tourist industry than just stag weekends for p***ed up Brits.
@Fred Jensen: Wrong again! Look at the tourist board website – showing UK visitors at closer to 4m and US at below 1.3m, for 2016. Your average spend figures are a mystery – did you make those up too, or could you post a link? Although you don’t seem to like them, the British have been the mainstay of our tourist trade for decades, and hopefully will continue to be so. And we go to Britain more than anywhere else…
@Fank Pulman:
No-ones banning the British from coming. They may not be able to afford to. I’m saying the high spending tourists from US and Asia are where the growth is and where we should be targeting.
@Fred Jensen: But yet again – you are unable to backup your last statement by evidence/link! 4 million Brits coming here is the most significant figure in our tourist business. Ask any resturateur, hotelier or publican…
@Fred Jensen: Most of the anglers visiting Ireland come from the UK and local B&B’s rely on them for business. They may not be regarded as big spenders but many of them do return year after year.
@Fred Jensen: Cross border UK tourism is not counted in the same way that visitors coming to Ireland from mainland Britain. However they are still bringing sterling with them.
@Chris Kirk: Fred’s anti-British views got in the way of economic facts. Like it or not, the UK is our biggest customer – under virtually ALL headings, particularly tourism. And we watch Corrie, the EPL, Xfactor etc.
exchange rate aint that great for the Brits..
Dublin hotel prices are crazy expensive
For information, a great, great many of ‘those Brits’ you’re slagging off are actually Irish people here and their families – visiting their families and their friends – just for what it’s worth. It’s only a few years since we last saw this hubris
The northern trade into donegal has fallen off a cliff . Believe me businesses are suffering. Americans tend to buy even less as they have to get it in there luggage.
@ed w: they buy less stuff but spend a lot more. Who really buys stuff on holidays apart from trinkets or a few items of clothing?
I know that Triona Design in Ardara in county Donegal that do the Donegal Tweed will ship the goods to America for their customers. A great idea. I think they might be able to claim tax back also on the sale, I’m not sure how that works could be a minimum sale limit.
@Gordon Jono Power: Same principle as Duty Free at airports/ports…many Irish outlets have provided this service, for years.
Ireland is such great value for Americans right now. Strong dollar and an abundance of airlines fighting for my airfare money. Yesterday, I was quoted $250 for a return trip in November, NY to Dublin non stop. It cost me 500 punts for a one way ticket 30 years ago.
A lot more irish holidaying at home, you’d notice it on the beaches and touristy areas.
Rather than criticise the English for not holidaying in Ireland we should have a good look
at our own Ryanairing to the continent rather than spending their holiday Euros at home!
Exchange rate for the US is good for them. Exchange rate for the UK is poor for them. Follow the money
@prop joe: UK and US Always follows the exchange rates, but the dollar is down over From 1/1.05 to 1/1.15 over just the last 4-5 months – non traditional countries are better growth prospect.
But for all this IRL losses out by invisible imports when we jet off to Bali or Bhutan
But it hasn’t stopped them applying for Irish passports.
Are they considered tourists if they use the irish passports so many of them are getting with their grandfathers birth certs?
Blame it on Theresa May
@Brendan Mason: why?
@Brendan Mason: I’d actually blame it on David Cameron. He should never have called that referendum in the first place.
@Fank Pulman: Who called the snap general election this summer in the UK in order to have a clean hard brexit with Europe? Answer is above.
They can’t afford Euros. Haha – losers.
Those poor unfortunate British, what with Brexit and all, we should give them free holidays to console them for not being European anymore, just Brits now!
@Con Murphy: nope, still part of the EU….for now.
Well maybe they’re now traveling on Irish passports.
@Barbara Edwards: Hrmphm. I heard Vicky Leandros is travelling on a Lebanese passport these days but I don’t see any sign of her coming to perform concerts in Ireland. QED
The major rise in tourist from the U.S. has more than offset the lack of British tourists and overall the number of and spend from tourism has increased.
Of course that hasn’t stopped the Tourist industry rep I heard on the radio claiming that things were never worse due to brexit, and there could be no room for any pay increases or any other kinds of dangerous leftie ideas,no surprise of course.
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