Over €3.95bn spent on overseas trips last year

IRISH people travelling abroad spent over €3.95bn last year, latest travel and tourism figures reveal. The 4,634,000 overseas’ visits in 2002 represented an increase of 9% on the previous year but an 18% hike over a three-year period.

By comparison, the numbers of visitors to Ireland increased marginally despite a significant 10% slump in the transatlantic market. Fine Gael yesterday demanded a major government initiative to recapture lost business.

Transatlantic visits totalled 849,00 compared with 912,000 in 2001 and 1,043,000 in 2000. Fine Gael’s Jimmy Deenihan called on Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy to consider a 10% reduction in VAT on tourism services in the next Budget to offset spiralling costs.