Drive to boost tourist numbers by 230,000

TOURISM Ireland is to launch a multi-million euro marketing campaign next year including a “Battle for Britain” in a bid to reverse a 12% decline in tourist numbers during 2009.

The cross-border body yesterday announced that it had set an overall target of 3% growth in visitor numbers for 2010 which would see an additional 230,000 tourists coming to Ireland next year.

Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons said Britain and Germany would be the focus of the organisation’s marketing drive to restore growth to the industry next year.