Hoteliers aim to attract 200k extra British visitors with marketing drive

Luring back British visitors who have deserted Ireland in their droves and who are opting to holiday in cheaper, sunnier destinations, is one of the key challenges facing Irish tourism, a hoteliers conference was told.

Between 2007 and 2011, the number of cross-channel tourists dropped dramatically from 1.8m to 800,000, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) conference heard.

The aim now is to attract an extra 200,000 UK visitors by 2016, with the aid of an accelerated Tourism Ireland marketing campaign. While accommodation prices are now more competitive here, many British people still think food and alcohol are still too expensive in Ireland.