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.

Overall, the 1.3% increase in visitors produced a net inflow of 29m to the Irish economy. Over 3.98bn was generated by visitors.

Tourism Ireland said the figures released by the Central Statistics Office were in line with the all-Ireland marketing body’s forecasts for last year. Chief executive Paul O’Toole said global crises continue to contribute to a reluctance by people to travel.

Tourism Ireland he said, predicted a return to some growth and a recovery of some of the business lost in 2001. Mr O’Toole said the desire of consumers to stay closer to home presented an opportunity for Ireland to win business from Britain and mainland Europe.

However, he warned: “Our success in doing so is likely to be directly related to the global economy and the spread of SARS.”

With the SARS challenge coming on the back of the Iraqi War, Mr O’Toole said Tourism Ireland’s strategy and marketing programme was designed to be flexible.

Meanwhile, 6,065,000 overseas’ visits to Ireland were recorded last year compared to 5,990,000 in 2001. Visits on transatlantic routes fell by 10.2% while the British market showed the largest growth, at 2.9%. Continental visitor numbers rose marginally by 0.3%.

The main markets to benefit from Irish visits abroad were continental European destinations.