Language tourism boost to economy

ONE in ten tourists are coming to Ireland to learn English.

The education tourism sector contributes about 350m euro to the Irish economy, it emerged yesterday.

Twice as many adults as children come to this country in order to improve their English language skills.

MEI-RELSA, which promotes education tourism, said that while industry had taken root in Dublin, it had extended to almost every county in the past 10 years.

“The majority of students stay with families in order to experience Irish warmth and hospitality” co-ordinator Gillian Nother said.

She said that interest this year is at an all-time high with Ireland viewed a safer alternatives to countries such as the US and the Britain.

The growing education tourist sector, MEI-RELSA noted, was a welcome fillip to an industry which sustained major figure losses in the ‘general visitors’ sectors over the past 12 months.